The Relation between Neonatal Intensive Care Units and Postpartum Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after Cesarean Section

Abstract

Background: The experience of a neonate hospitalized in the NICU is an understandably traumatic experience for parents, especially for the mothers of neonates. This mental distress resulting from preterm birth and/or NICU hospitalization can be understood as post-traumatic symptomatology, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5 version). The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of the admission of a neonate to the NICU (forany reason) on the development of postpartum PTSD in a sample of women after cesarean section. Methods: A total of 469 women who gave birth with cesarean section from July 2019 to June 2020 participated in this study out of the original sample of 490 women who consented to participate. Data were obtained from the researcher’s socio-demographic questionnaire and the post-traumatic stress checklist (PCL-5) from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DCM-5 version. Results: In total, 11.7% of the sample experienced postpartum PTSD. There is a strong relationship between the inclusion of a neonate to the NICU due to perinatal stress, breathing difficulties, infections, and IUGR with postpartum PTSD (37.7%) in relation to the perinatal stress Criterion A (fear for the life of the neonate), the first criterion of postpartum PTSD. Conclusions: Additional measures must be taken for mothers of children who have been admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit with psychological support interventions and a reassessment of their mental state.

Advances for pediatricians in 2022: allergy, anesthesiology, cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, genetics, global health, infectious diseases, metabolism, neonatology, neurology, oncology, pulmonology

“…Parents of premature newborns admitted to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience high levels of stress, determined both by the basic individual psychological well-being and the risk profile, the clinical complications, and the duration of the stay of their child. These conditions can have psychological consequences such as post-traumatic stress disorder [124,125]. Salomè et al [126] examined how the state of parental psychological well-being and stress experienced affect the appearance of post-traumatic stress disorder in the year following discharge.…”

Sacred space: a qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis of women’s experiences of supportive birthing environments

“…This involves “constant emotional, physical, spiritual, and psychosocial” support [ 8 ]. Experiencing birthing trauma has shown to result in postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (P-PTSD) and postpartum depression (PPD) [ 9 – 11 ]. Likewise, disempowering births can have long term impacts of maternal self-esteem [ 12 , 13 ].…”

Incidence of Perinatal Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Catalonia: An Observational Study of Protective and Risk Factors

“…The experience of having a newborn hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can be very traumatic for the caregivers of the infant, especially for mothers. Both preterm birth and NICU hospitalization generate some mental distress for mothers that can develop into perinatal PTSD [31].…”