Member-only story
When the Birth Process Is Traumatic
Research identifies who is at risk for PTSD after delivery.
While childbirth is generally joyful, popularly branded as a positive experience, such is not always the case. Stigma makes it hard for those suffering to get help, especially when everyone expects parents to be bathed in an idyllic glow. In addition to the trials and tribulations surrounding conception, not to mention the challenges of parenting, there is a growing awareness that the birthing process may be traumatic.
Cross-sectional studies (e.g. those that are but a snapshot in time) suggest that factors including emergency childbirth, prior trauma, and adversity during childbirth increase the risk of maternal PTSD and may interfere with the mother-infant bond (Ertan et al., 2021). Research has estimated the risk of PTSD following childbirth from 0 to 21 percent for usual-risk pregnancies, and up to 43 percent in high-risk pregnancies (Khoramroudi, 2018). Fathers also may experience postpartum problems, and over 7 percent report PTSD symptoms after birth (Shobinger et al., 2018). They, too, may suffer depression and anxiety, which interfere with bonding and childcare.
The Stress of Giving Birth
Prospective studies, those that track participants starting before an event occurs or a problem…
