The effects of childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder on women and their relationships: A qualitative study

Abstract

This is the unspecified version of the paper.This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent repository link: AbstractThere is converging evidence that 1 to 2% of women develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of childbirth. The current study aimed to explore the long-term effects of childbirth-related PTSD on women, their relationship with their partner, and their relationship with their child. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with six women who reported clinically significant PTSD after birth, ranging from 7 months to 18 years beforehand. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Childbirth-related PTSD was found to have wide ranging effects on women and their relationships. Women reported changes in physical wellbeing, mood and behaviour, social interaction, and fear of childbirth. Women reported negative effects on their relationship with their partner including sexual dysfunction, disagreements, and blame for events of birth. The mother-baby bond was also seriously affected.Nearly all women reported initial feelings of rejection towards the baby but this changed over time. Long-term, women seemed to have either avoidant or anxious attachments with their child.It is concluded that childbirth-related PTSD can have severe and lasting effects on women and their relationships with their partner and children. Further research is needed to compare this to normal difficulties experienced by women after having children. To date, most research has concentrated on the prevalence and causes of postnatal PTSD.Diathesis-stress approaches to mental health emphasise that whether a woman develops chronic postnatal PTSD will be influenced to varying degrees by pre-existing vulnerability and beliefs, the events of birth, and postnatal factors such as additional stress, support, and the meaning attached to the events of birth and symptoms of PTSD (Ayers, 2004;Beck, 2004a). Research supports this approach and suggests postnatal PTSD is associated with a previous history of trauma, history of psychological problems, and events during birth such as type of delivery (Ayers, 2004;Olde, van der Hart, Kleber, & Van Son, 2006). 4The effects of postnatal PTSD on women and their relationships with their child and partner have not been widely examined but have been subject to speculation (Bailham & Joseph, 2003). Case studies and qualitative research suggest it is likely that postnatal PTSD will affect women's close relationships. For example, in qualitative studies of postnatal PTSD, women report that it affects their sense of self, that they have less patience, feelings of anger, anxiety, depression, find it hard to sympathise with others, feel isolated from their infant, fear future pregnancy, and that it affects social relationships (Allen, 1998;Beck, 2004a). However, these qualitative studies did not assess PTSD using diagnostic criteria. Case studies, in which women do fulfil diagnostic criteria, suggest postnatal PTSD is associated with sex...

The effect of post‐natal symptoms of post‐traumatic stress and depression on the couple's relationship and parent–baby bond

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