Can premature birth cause paraphilia later?

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I was born VERY prematurely. My mother had developed an illness due to my conception (an accidental conception), and the only way to save us both would be a C-section. So, they sliced me out and placed me in NICU, keeping me there for several months. One of my lungs collapsed, it wasn’t looking good…

But by some miracle, I made it! I was so tiny I could fit within your one hand! Though I grew up healthily enough. But even at a young age, my parents were concerned that not all was well with me. Before I entered Kindergarten, I was screened for autism. Wasn’t found to have any sort of affliction, so I was never given special care.

Until middle school. After some bizarre episodes, I was diagnosed with Asperger’s. And now, in my adult life, I’m saddled with countless anxieties and fetishes (you can learn more by perusing my other comments and such on this forum).

So what gives? Can premature birth cause these things to happen? Any studies linking them?

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Thank you for sharing.
Unfortunately, there is not a lot of research in fetishes and paraphilias, and what causes them. The field of paraphilias is addled with psychoanalytic nonsense about wanting to fuck your mom or your dad if you are a girl, and it is still considered taboo even among some researchers.
I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was young, and I also have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I have had panic attacks before. It sucks. An uncle of mine is a psychoanalyst, and he began making comments about my fetishes (plushophilia in particular). I don’t know how he found out about it, probably an aunt of mine told him, but I was pissed that he would say that I had to treat it because it was weird and that no one would want to give me a job because of it, and blah blah blah. (God forbid he finds about my lolis because he will use it to justify the hate on plushophilia). Anyways, I blew him off and years later, now, I have a job, which is not the best but it could be much much worse. I can live independently with it, and rather comfortably too. I am almost done paying my grad school loan, have a huge library at home (which is in need of organization as it looks like a city skyline right now), and I enjoy hangouts with my friends who accept me for who I am. Seems like the score is this: Prudes disguised as scientists: 0; Debauchery with cutesy horny plush animals: 1,000.

I am happy you made it, to be honest. I believe every human life is valuable. None is worthless. You are someone and you matter. Believe that. I did not share my story to brag. I just want you to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

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Thank you. I’m sure my family’s glad I made it too, even when there’re times I myself am not. I was an accident, but my family still loves me all the same, even if I often think they’d be better off without me.

I’m sorry your uncle treated you this way. You’d think a man dedicated to unlocking the secrets of the human mind would be a bit more understanding of your interests. I certainly can’t see how plushophilia could be viewed as a bad thing, especially in comparison to other paraphilias (not that there’s anything inherently wrong with having a paraphilia itself in the first place).

Many thanks, and be well.

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This got me thinking, and the first thought is that maybe your concern should be more about what went on prior to your birth rather than the birth itself:

James Cantor (& others) has already noted that those displaying paedophilic tendencies have a higher than average incidence of mothers with mental health issues; this could manifest as greater stress hormones within the uterus. It could be that prolonged stress during different periods during foetal development produce different aspects of mental “afflictions” (not necessarily always detrimental) that manifest in later life? Just a thought.

Here is a report relating to such - further related articles at bottom of page:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170529090530.htm

Of course, none of these studies contemplate the effect that a premature and/or cesarian birth might have on this, so it may be that it brings up more questions than it answers in some respects.

One thing I will say: my brother has often commented on how I occasionally appear different in my behaviour to both my siblings and to people in general, and some have speculated that it may be down to Aspergers. I’ve recently ascertained that I have/am AD(H)D, which I feel fairly certain is the case.

It could be that the unpredictable and sometimes volatile state of my Mother’s mental health both during and after my birth may partially explain this. Added to which the fact (as I recently discovered) that she was “strongly enticed” to endure my pregnancy. Hopefully, or thankfully, I was totally unaware that I was in constant danger of being forcibly evicted from my residence at that time; it’s stress-inducing enough at the age I am now.

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:bell::bell::bell: Sounds like you could do with a visit from Clarence Odboby.

I mean, for all you know your thoughtful reply might have saved @suky’s life???

So, whether or not you think your family would be better off, whatever you say or do in future could benefit others; clearly you have a good heart and good intentions, which is all you need to make life worthwhile. :blush:

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My mother has no history of mental illness, but the rest of my family has their fair share of woes.

My father’s side of the family was heavily involved in organized crime (Sicilian Mafia). My grandfather and great uncle ultimately had a falling out due to my grandfather wanting to leave that life, and my great uncle hated him for this. My great uncle also had a bad habit of abusing his “inventory”, so not the most stable man…

Speaking of my grandfather, I never met him. He died in an auto accident when my dad was a young teen. It ruined my father. He was sent to a psychiatric facility, got involved with the wrong crowd, did drugs and committed petty crime, etc. He’s admitted to me that if it wasn’t for my mother and me, he’d either be in prison or dead.

Even if mom and me saved his life, it took a while for him to kill his old habits. Even after my sister was born a few years later, my dad would sometimes get drunk and verbally abuse my mom right in front of us. There was yelling, crying, breaking windows and punching walls. My father DESPISES the man he once was. He doesn’t drink anymore.

My mother’s side of the family has dealt with hardships as well (including alcoholism, so substance abuse runs in both sides of my family). My Korean grandmother was once in a relationship with an Italian man. My aunt was born from this coupling, but it didn’t end well. I don’t know what happened, the family refuses to talk about it. My mother and other aunt were born from my grandma and grandpa.

There’ve been several incidents with this side of my family: my elder aunt taking beatings for her little sisters, my cousin getting bit by a dog and my elder aunt almost stabbing the dog in retaliation, my younger aunt being depressed and needing meds during college, etc. More recently, my cousin (the dog-bitten one) had her life threatened by an Islamic extremist who held a knife to her throat. The world’s a crazy place…

And if ancestry can effect mental health, it stands to reason that siblings can share mental problems. My sister has had boughts of anxiety. Panic attacks, self-harm, etc. I’ve also suffered from such things. I wonder if there’s common genetic source…

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The question isn’t whether your ancestry or premature birth caused any paraphilias, the proper question is can you control them? If you can, then you should be fine. If not, you probably want to get some kind of expert assistance to deal with them. Those of us that haunt this forum want to help, but we are rarely qualified to provide that kind of help. It’s also not what this forum is for. I hope you can find peace with your paraphilias.

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Wow, sure this isn’t the plot from ‘Once Upon a Time in America’?

Only kidding, but you do seem to have voluntered quite a lot of information here. I’ve no personal complaint about that, but this forum is geared towards issues around child sexual abuse prevention and things that relate more directly.

Although the family experiences you talk of may have some slight relevance (either directly or from a genetic, correlative stance) on your thoughts, desires, obsessions etc. my intent was that the original point (about you being premature) will have resulted in your mother being under particular stress whilst pregnant, and if the surgery was something she new or suspected would transpire for some time beforehand it is this that is more likely to have affected your potential to develop a paraphilia.

Either way, it seems you come from a family of survivors/fighters in the most part, so if your looking for specific genetic traits I’d say that’s not such a bad thing. I wish you well whatever.

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Hi I found your post because I literally googled this exact question, I was born premature at 24 weeks gestation and I have a paraphilia, don’t have an actual diagnosis of it but I suspect I have Autism, my brother was born premature at 29 weeks gestation and my other two siblings were born full term, I’m also mixed race as well, black father and white mother.

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Welcome to Prostasia! Interesting, I’ve read about there being a correlation with high-functioning autism/Asperger’s and likelihood of developing paraphilias. I think more research needs to go into this.

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Thanks for the welcome, yes I read that as well, also read that being born before 25 or or 26 weeks gestation? One of the two I wanna say and having a very low birth rate can have an increased risk for autism, which would make sense in your case, and mine if I am indeed autistic, how early were you born if you don’t mind me asking?

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I was a “micro preemie” and weighed a little over a pound at birth.

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13-15 weeks premature, about 2-2½ lbs. Still small and light enough that I could apparently fit neatly within my father’s one hand (and he’s a very average-sized, maybe slightly above average-sized man). You were more preem than me, about doubly so.

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I see, yeah my dad said the same thing that I could fit in the palm of his hand

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Definitely really interesting to find another person who was born premature and has a paraphilia, thought I might be the only one lol.

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Good to know we’re not alone, eh?

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I was born about a month late…

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Would that be called a post-mature birth?

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No idea. I just know I was born a month later than I should’ve been.

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