The impact on child development of traumatic exposure during pregnancy: A systematic review

Psychotrauma during the antenatal period seems to have consequences for children's physical and mental health. This systematic review aims to assess the impact of traumatic exposure during pregnancy on the child's socio-emotional, psychopathological and behavioural development and to identify its consequences, including the effect of the exposure period. This review was conducted according to PRISMA requirements and using Pubmed, Proquest and Scopus databases between January 1, 2000 and February 9, 2023. Out of 3,991 articles identified, 33 articles met our eligibility criteria.

The main findings of this review support the existing literature since most studies have reported that traumatic exposure during pregnancy has an effect on the child's socio-emotional, psychopathological and behavioural development. Furthermore, the results identify differential consequences for the child based on the trimester of exposure. Future studies should explore variables likely to have a mediating effect.