Perinatal Care: Addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences in Integrated Primary Care

Presented on February 4, 2026 by Lisandra Torres Aponte, PhD The presentation examines how maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) contribute to chronic physical and mental health conditions, adverse perinatal outcomes, and disruptions in parenting and co-regulation capacities. It reviews the neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms through which early adversity becomes biologically embedded and affects both maternal and infant health. The presentation highlights pregnancy and early parenting as critical windows for prevention and intervention and introduces the Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model as a practical, trauma-informed framework for screening, prevention, and early treatment within integrated primary care. Emphasis is placed on resilience-informed, culturally responsive approaches to reduce intergenerational risk and health inequities. After this presentation, attendees will be able to: 1. Describe how maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) contribute to chronic physical and mental health conditions and adverse perinatal outcomes. 2. Explain the neurobiological mechanisms (e.g., stress physiology, inflammation, epigenetics) linking early adversity to lifelong disease risk. 3. Understand how maternal ACEs influence parenting, attachment, and co-regulation processes. 4. Apply a Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model to screen for ACEs, integrate trauma-informed approach, and implement prevention and early intervention strategies in perinatal primary care settings.