A specific form of a stress-related chemical (free 8-isoprostane) goes up in women with bad childhoods, but the total amount doesn’t—meaning it’s likely tied to body inflammation, not just general cell damage.

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Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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The Association of Childhood Maltreatment With Lipid Peroxidation and DNA Damage in Postpartum Women

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

Women who had tough childhoods showed higher levels of a specific type of 8-isoprostane in their blood — the kind made by the body’s inflammatory systems — but not the kind made just by general wear and tear, suggesting their bodies are reacting to past stress with inflammation.

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No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

The Association of Childhood Maltreatment With Lipid Peroxidation and DNA Damage in Postpartum Women

Score: 45

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00023

Similar Assertions

Women who experienced more abuse or neglect as children tend to have higher levels of a specific chemical in their blood that's linked to long-term inflammation, even after having a baby.

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The rise in this chemical after childhood trauma might not mean more cell damage—it might mean the body is stuck in a low-level inflammatory state.

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Even after accounting for things like smoking, weight, and illness, women with worse childhoods still have higher levels of this inflammation-related chemical in their blood.

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