War-Related Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms During the First Two Postpartum Years: The Moderating Role of Childhood Adversity

Early motherhood is a sensitive period marked by increased psychological vulnerability, potentially impacting child developmental trajectories. While childhood adversity and war‐related trauma are known as risk factors for psychopathology, little is known about their combined impact on posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) during the first 2 years of motherhood. Grounded in stress sensitisation, this two‐wave study examined how childhood adverse experiences (ACEs) and childhood war‐related insecurity moderate the prospective association between contemporary cumulative war exposure and maternal PTSS. A sample of 394 Israeli mothers was assessed at two time points during the Israel–Hamas war: T1 (5 months post‐outbreak) and T2 (14 months later). Participants were categorised into a four‐group typology based on developmental history: No adversity, ACEs only, Childhood war‐related insecurity only, and Combined (ACEs + Childhood war‐related insecurity). High symptom stability was observed, yet mothers in the Combined group exhibited the highest clinical risk, with 41.7% meeting the PTSD threshold at T2. Additionally, childhood adversity moderated the link between contemporary cumulative war exposure and PTSS at T2. Contemporary cumulative war exposure was associated with a steeper increase in PTSS primarily among mothers in the Combined group, supporting the stress sensitisation model. Mothers with a dual history of interpersonal adversity and childhood war‐related insecurity appeared particularly sensitised to renewed threats. These results highlight the necessity of trauma‐ informed care and screening to support maternal and infant well‐being in conflict zones.