Ellen White knew that a mother’s habits prior to the birth of her child directly impacts the character and habits of her children; “[the mother] may know that the character of her children will depend vastly more upon her own habits before their birth, and her personal efforts after their birth, than upon external advantages or disadvantages”.  She explained that a mother imparts to her children “her own qualities of blood, her own strong or weak traits of character” in an article entitled A Lesson for Mothers, published in 1881.  She went on to say that “the thoughts and feelings of the mother will have a powerful influence upon the legacy she gives her child.

Genes play a large role in determining human behavior, affecting psychological characteristics like personality, mental health and intelligence.

In the 1800s, it was believed that the genes could not be affected by the environment.  But by the 1940’s, researchers realized that there were many external influences that affected how genes functioned in the human body, and we are just beginning to understand how things like pollution, stress and poor diet can affect not only our own gene function but even the gene activity we pass to our children.  University of Oregon researchers have found a link between birth mothers who experienced stressful childhood events and their children’s behavior problems, even if those children were adopted as newborns and had never been aware of the troubles their birth mothers experienced (Leve, L, et al, “The pernicious role of stress on intergenerational continuity of psychopathology,” Cambridge.org).   The study showed that a biological mother’s own childhood trauma can affect her offspring by negatively impacting behavior-related genes that she, as an adult, passes on to her child; though these kids were raised by others, they still had increased rates of aggression, defiance and a lack of emotional and self-control.

In her article, Mrs. White stated that the mother’s habits prior to the birth of her child will affect its character and destiny, and she urged women to place their hope in God and to share their anxieties and past traumas with Him.  “If her ways are established in God, if she heeds the admonitions which He gives, she will do her part to give a right character, right temper, and right appetites, to her offspring.”

EGW’s advice to expectant moms was well ahead of her time.