Abstract 10261: Adverse Childhood Experiences Are Linked to High Blood Pressure During the First Trimester and Hypertensive Complications During Pregnancy

Abstract

Introduction: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are associated with impaired vascular function in young adult women, and increased blood pressure and CVD risk later in life. Hypotheses: We hypothesized that exposure to ACEs would be associated with an increased risk of first trimester hypertension and subsequently with hypertensive complications during pregnancy. Methods: Exposure to ACEs, self-reported incidence of first trimester hypertension (HT) and hypertensive complications in pregnancy (HTCs), as well as age, education, chronic health conditions, gravidity and BMI were obtained from women enrolled in a clinic-based longitudinal study of women ages 16-38 who were enrolled in their first prenatal visit. To avoid potential confounding of severe obesity, we restricted analyses to only those women with a BMI <40 kg/m 2 . Consequently, 135 pregnant women (age = 26 ± 6; BMI = 27 ± 6; gravidity = 2.7 ± 1.5) were included in this analysis; however, data from 20 women was missing for HTC incidence (n =115). The sample was diverse (49% Non-White) and had a high prevalence of ACEs (41% with ≥4 ACEs). Logistic regression models were used to examine the association of ACE exposure with the probability of HT and HTCs. Models included: (1) ACEs alone, and (2) ACEs following adjustment for age, BMI, gravidity, Race, and chronic health conditions. Results: Exposure to ACEs predicted HT (OR [95% CI] = 1.32 [1.10 - 1.59]) and HTC (1.26 [1.03 - 1.52]) incidence. Following full adjustment, the odds of HT increased 51% for each additional ACE (1.51 [1.03 - 2.22]). Following full adjustment, the odds of HTC increased 40% for each additional ACE (1.40 [1.06 - 1.83]). In each of the fully adjusted models, only chronic health conditions were also a significant predictor. Conclusions: ACE exposure is an important risk factor for HT and HTC, especially when considered alongside existing chronic health conditions. Screening for ACEs may be a worthwhile public health strategy to identify women at risk for hypertension and hypertensive complications in pregnancy. However, larger scale, longitudinal cohort studies are needed to confirm and to further understand these associations.