Researchers at The Ohio State University in the US examined blood from pregnant women to evaluate the length of telomeres - structures at the end of chromosomes that are used by scientists as a measure of biological age. Shorter telomeres mean an older cellular age.
The researchers also asked the mothers-to-be about stressors, including low socioeconomic status and trauma during their childhood and current social support.
They found that women who reported low socioeconomic status as kids and who struggled with family support as adults were biologically older, as indicated by shorter telomeres.
Previous research already has established worse birth outcomes in women with psychosocial risk factors, including low socioeconomic status.
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The cellular ageing found is one possible explanation, said Lisa Christian, a researcher at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center's Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research.
"Access to support, care and resources is so important to expectant moms," said Christian, senior author of the study published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.
The study included a racially diverse group of 81 pregnant women who were 25 years old on average. They were evaluated during each trimester of pregnancy and again about two months after delivery.
Family social support - but not support from partners or friends - emerged as a strong predictor of telomere length, as did low socioeconomic status during childhood.
Advanced maternal age is defined by doctors as 35 or older.
It is well-understood that older mothers are at higher risk of having babies with medical and developmental challenges, and it is possible that this applies to moms with advanced cellular age as well, said Amanda Mitchell, a faculty member at the University of Louisville.