Stressors May Lead to Cellular Aging.

• Position: PREGNANCY

Pregnant women who have low socioeconomic status during childhood and poor family social support appear to age prematurely on a cellular level, potentially raising the risk for complications, a study at Ohio State University, Columbus, has found.

Researchers examined blood from pregnant women to evaluate the length of telomeres--structures at the end of chromosomes that are used by scientists as a measure of biological, as opposed to chronological, age. Shorter telomeres mean an older cellular age.

The researchers also asked the moms-to-be about stressors, including low socioeconomic status and trauma during their childhood, and current social support. They found that women who reported low socioeconomic status as kids and who struggled with family support as adults were biologically older, as indicated by shorter telomeres.

This study did not examine birth outcomes, but prompted the researchers to wonder if this rapid biological aging could put a woman at greater risk of premature delivery, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and other problems.

Previous research already has established worse birth outcomes in women with psychosocial risk factors...