An Abuja-based medical expert, Dr Maryam Ahmed Almustapha, has raised an alarm over the potentially devastating effects of physical abuse on pregnant women.

Speaking to The Guardian, Almustapha warned that violence against expectant mothers can increase the risk of intellectual disability in their children. She explained that physical abuse during pregnancy can trigger complications that affect foetal development, suggesting a link between maternal trauma and cognitive or brain developmental issues in children.

“Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in maternal blood, which reflects the foetal genome, can be elevated due to maternal stress, inflammation, and apoptosis,” she said. “This can result in placental dysfunction, immune activation, and epigenetic reprogramming, ultimately affecting foetal neurodevelopment.”

Almustapha emphasised that cfDNA could serve as a biomarker for the impact of maternal mental health on foetal brain outcomes. “Maternal stress can increase cfDNA, which may act as a bridge between maternal mental health and foetal brain development,” she said.

Her remarks underscore the urgent need to provide pregnant women with adequate support and protection from violence, as well as mental health care, to ensure the well-being of both mother and child.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that violence against women remains a major global public health concern, with pregnant women particularly vulnerable.