Prevalence and predictors of post‐traumatic stress symptoms following childbirth

Abstract

A proportion of women reports all three aspects of post-traumatic stress type symptoms following childbirth with many more reporting some components. A broader conceptualization of post-partum distress which takes account of the impact of labour is required. There may be opportunities for prevention through providing care in labour that enhances perceptions of control and support.

Infant face interest is associated with voice information and maternal psychological health

“…Moreover, infants typically exhibit a developmental trend from a preference for looking which results in clinical symptoms of PTSD (Creedy, Shochet & Horsfall, 2000;Czarnocka & Slade, 2000). Moreover, the mother-infant relationship is affected by maternal symptoms of PTSD (Davies, Slade, Wright & Stewart, 2008;McDonald, Slade, Spiby & Iles, 2011) and PND (Edhborg, Lundh, Seimyr & Widstorm, 2001;Murray, 1992;Murray, Fiori-Cowley, Hooper & Cooper, 1996;Taylor, Atkins, Kumar, Adams & Glover, 2005).…”

Stressful events and support during birth: The effect on anxiety, mood and perceived control

“…Estimates of postnatal depression are that it affects around 13% of women after birth (O'Hara & Swain, 1996), and is likely to be comorbid with anxiety disorders (Czarnocka & Slade, 2000;Wenzel, Haugen, Jackson, & Brendle, 2005;White, Matthey, Boyd, & Barnett, 2006). Recent studies suggest that anxiety disorders may be under-estimated in the post-natal period and may actually be more common than depression, with up to 16% of women suffering some type of anxiety disorder such as panic, phobia, acute adjustment disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Matthey, Barnett, Howie, & Kavanagh, 2003;Wenzel et al, 2005).…”

“…Recent studies suggest that anxiety disorders may be under-estimated in the post-natal period and may actually be more common than depression, with up to 16% of women suffering some type of anxiety disorder such as panic, phobia, acute adjustment disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Matthey, Barnett, Howie, & Kavanagh, 2003;Wenzel et al, 2005). Notably, evidence suggests up to a third of women appraise their experience of birth as traumatic, and between 1 and 2% of women develop diagnostic PTSD following birth, with up to 30% showing sub-diagnostic symptoms (Ayers & Pickering, 2001;Czarnocka & Slade, 2000;Maggioni, Margola, & Filippi, 2006;Soderquist, Wijma, & Wijma, 2006;Soet, Brack, & Dilorio, 2003). Appraisal of birth as traumatic and PTSD do not only follow births in which complications threaten the mother or the baby.…”

“…Surgical intervention during labour and delivery, particularly assisted vaginal delivery or emergency caesarean section, are related to appraisal of birth as traumatic (Ayers, 1999;Soet et al, 2003) and symptoms of PTSD in some studies (Creedy, Shochet, & Horsfall, 2000;MacLean, McDermott, & May, 2000;Soderquist et al, 2002). However, other studies find no influence of type of delivery on subjective distress (Skari, Skreden, Malt et al, 2002) or PTSD symptoms (Ayers, 1999;Czarnocka & Slade, 2000). Other factors such as pain in the first stage of labour, and higher levels of medical interventions have been associated with appraisal of birth as traumatic, although not with development of PTSD symptoms (Soet et al, 2003).…”

“…A review found that variables such as personal expectations, the amount of support from caregivers, the quality of the caregiver-patient relationship, and involvement in decision making were more important than the birth environment, pain, immobility, medical interventions, and continuity of care in determining women's evaluations of their birth experience (Hodnett, 2002). Limited evidence suggests support during birth is associated with less anxiety and depression in the postnatal period (Scott et al, 1999); and a perceived lack of support from healthcare professionals during birth has been associated with symptoms of PTSD following birth (Creedy et al, 2000;Czarnocka & Slade, 2000). These findings suggest that support from caregivers during birth may have a strong affect on women's emotional, anxiety and trauma reactions following childbirth.…”