Childhood maltreatment, such as abuse or neglect, is a pervasive public health problem with lasting consequences for psychological well-being and overall health across the lifespan. There is evidence that the negative effects of childhood maltreatment are not limited to a single individual and may be transmitted across generations, increasing the risk for behavioral and psychiatric disorders in the offspring. The existing paradigm posits that the intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment primarily occurs in the context of postnatal maternal mood and maternal-infant attachment; however, there is growing evidence that the intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment may also occur during the prenatal period.