Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Following Childbirth: Prevalence and Contributing Factors

Abstract

BackgroundChildbirth might be a traumatic event for some women.ObjectivesThis study was conducted with the objective of investigating the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following childbirth.Patients and MethodsThe study was designed using a descriptive correlation scheme. The participants were selected from the women referred to the healthcare centers affiliated with Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran. Personal interviews were conducted with 600 women who were 6-8 weeks postpartum and had been undergone to this center for postpartum and child care.ResultsOne hundred and three (17. 2%) women had symptoms of PTSD following childbirth based on the PTSD Symptom Scale (PSS). The results of logistic regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between maternal occupation (P = 0.01), depression level (P < 0.001) and anxiety level (P < 0.001) with PTSD following childbirth.ConclusionsPTSD from childbirth occurs in some women. Early identification of risk factors should lead to early therapeutic intervention in the mothers at risk of PTSD.

Post-traumatic stress disorder following childbirth: a study of prevalence and related factors in Iranian women

“…In the present study, the prevalence of PTSD following childbirth was 26,7% which was in line with the previous Iranian studies (172,%-39%) [6,7]. But this prevalence is high compared to developed countries [2][3][4][5].…”

“…Other studies also supported the effect of infant's restlessness and crying and problem in taking care of the infant on developing PTSD following childbirth [6,7]. Other studies have also reported a significant relationship between infant's crying and postpartum depression [22,25].…”

“…Some of the changes in the PTSD criteria from DSM-IV to DSM-V are elimination of three symptoms from Criterion A: intense fear, helplessness, and horror and dividing the symptom cluster of the avoidance and emotional numbing into two separate clusters of avoiding negative memories, thoughts and emotions related to the event and negative changes in the mood and cognition and also adding three symptoms of persistent negative beliefs and expectations about oneself or the world, blaming one's self or others as the cause of the trauma and persistent negative emotional state, and self-destructive or reckless behavior [1]. The prevalence of PTSD following childbirth, according to previous editions of DSM, was 1-13% in European countries [2,3], 8-9% in Canada and the United States [4,5] and 17-39% in different cities of Iran [6,7]. The prevalence of PTSD has also been reported up to 33% among risky populations such as emergency cesarean section [8].…”

The effect of cognitive-behavioral counseling on anxiety in the mothers of infants in the NICU: A randomized controlled trial

“…Anxiety is one of the most common adjustment disorders in all societies, which has a global prevalence of 14% and a prevalence of 20.8% in Iran 1, 2 .…”

The Effect of Group Counseling Based on Cognitive-Behavioral Approach on Pregnancy-Specific Stress and Anxiety

“…Studies have reported the prevalence of stress and anxiety during pregnancy as 6% to 78%; that is, 6% of the population is reportedly exposed to high levels of stress and 78% is exposed to low or moderate levels (7)(8)(9). Stress during pregnancy can be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as miscarriage, fetal weight loss, increased stress hormone levels, chronic hypertension, premature birth, infant mortality, changes in endocrine secretion, changes in hypothalamic-pituitary function, suppressed immune system, changes in the number of lymphocytes and reduced CD4/CD8 ratio, nausea, vomiting, preeclampsia, and some degree of mental disorder (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). The complications associated with pregnancy-induced stress are a leading cause of maternal perinatal mortality (17).…”