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PRENATAL MATERNAL PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH SHAPES NEWBORN TELOMERE LENGTH
Niloofar Hashempourand 12 co-authors
FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku
FENS Forum 2026 (2026)
Barcelona, Spain
Board PS01-07AM-237
Presentation
Date TBA
Board: PS01-07AM-237
Event Information
Poster Board
PS01-07AM-237
Poster
View posterAbstract
Aims: Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a biomarker of cellular aging and a predictor of age-related disease and mortality. Shorter telomeres have been associated with cumulative psychosocial stress, yet increasing evidence suggests that telomere biology may be shaped already during intrauterine life. This study aimed to investigate whether maternal psychosocial risk factors, including adverse childhood experiences and prenatal psychological distress, as well as protective factors such as resilience and quality of life during pregnancy, are associated with newborn LTL.
Methods: Data from 1,943 mother–child pairs in the FinnBrain Birth Cohort were analyzed. Maternal adverse childhood experiences, pregnancy-related anxiety, depressive symptoms, resilience, and quality of life were assessed during pregnancy. Newborn LTL was measured from umbilical cord blood leukocytes using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Multivariable linear regression models were applied to examine associations between maternal psychosocial factors and newborn LTL, adjusting for relevant maternal, pregnancy, and neonatal covariates. Sex-stratified analyses were conducted to assess potential differences between male and female newborns.
Results: Higher pregnancy-related anxiety at both mid and late gestation was associated with shorter newborn LTL. In contrast, higher maternal quality of life and greater resilience during pregnancy were associated with longer newborn LTL. These associations were predominantly observed among male newborns, whereas no consistent associations were detected in females.
Conclusions: Maternal psychological well-being during pregnancy, encompassing both risk and protective psychosocial factors, may influence newborn telomere biology. These findings suggest that prenatal exposures contribute to early programming of cellular aging trajectories.
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