Research overview
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as abuse and neglect, create a devastating intergenerational cycle of disadvantage that harms Australian families across their lifespans. Antenatal screening presents a critical window to intervene early, disrupt this intergenerational cycle, and empower mothers to build healthier futures for their children, yet persistent gaps remain in understanding the pathways of transmission and feasibility of screening.
This 12-month project addresses these gaps by leveraging the ORIGINS birth cohort, a large-scale Australian longitudinal study encompassing 10,000 births, to achieve two primary objectives: (1) comprehensively examine how maternal ACEs affect pregnancy outcomes and child development, identifying specific intervention targets and protective factors; and (2) evaluate the feasibility of ACE screening in antenatal care by surveying health professionals and consumers to understand implementation barriers and enablers.
The long-term goal is to implement ACE antenatal screening to identify pregnant women who have experienced childhood adversity in order to provide targeted support that could ultimately improve short- and long-term outcomes for their children. This initial research establishes the empirical foundation for that future work by delivering three key outputs: detailed knowledge of maternal ACEs’ intergenerational effects in Western Australia; evidence-based insights into modifiable factors and transmission pathways; and practical, evidence-informed recommendations for integrating trauma screening into standard antenatal care.
Through strategic partnership with the Women and Newborn Mental Health Service (WNMHS) at KEMH, research outputs will be translated into practical screening recommendations and implementation strategies tailored to Western Australian maternity services. This collaboration ensures findings directly inform the co-design of feasible screening protocols, staff training approaches, and referral pathways that address identified barriers and support trauma-informed care delivery.
Project researchers
Dr Kristjana Einarsdottir
Funders
Women and Infants Research Foundation
Project timeline
2026 – 2027
