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.

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.

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.

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.

Having a tough childhood doesn’t seem to leave a detectable mark on DNA or RNA damage in the blood of new moms, even when accounting for other health factors.

Support from friends, the hormone oxytocin, and even diet might help protect the body from the long-term harm of childhood trauma, while stress hormones like cortisol might make it worse.