We tend to think of genes as fixed — the eye colour, the height, the things we can't change. But your genes also carry instructions that can be switched on or off by what you live through. This is epigenetics, and it's part of how trauma can echo into the next generation.
What epigenetics actually means
Epigenetics is the study of how genes are turned on or off without altering the underlying DNA sequence. The code stays the same; how it's read can change — and the environment, including trauma, is one of the things that influences that reading.
How trauma can be passed down
- Chemical modifications. Trauma can lead to changes such as methylation on the DNA, or on the proteins (histones) that package it. These act like switches and dials on gene activity.
- Altered gene expression. Those changes can shift how genes are expressed — including genes involved in the brain and the body's stress-response systems.
- Intergenerational transmission. Some of these epigenetic changes can be carried into the next generation, potentially shaping a child's sensitivity to stress and trauma.
Why this is a reason for hope, not fear
If trauma can be written into how genes are read, then so can safety. Epigenetic changes are not a life sentence. A calmer nervous system, steadier relationships and genuine healing all become part of the environment the next generation grows inside. That is exactly why we believe the healing is worth doing before pregnancy — not as pressure, but as a gift you're able to pass on.