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Cited by 166Maternal and Perinatal Health InterventionsMaternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumPosttraumatic Stress Disorder Research

Preventing post‐traumatic stress disorder following childbirth and traumatic birth experiences: a systematic review

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de Graaff, Lisanne F., Honig, Adriaan, van Pampus, Mariëlle G., Stramrood, Claire A.I.·2018·Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
DOI 10.1111/aogs.13291
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Abstract

Introduction: Between 9 and 44% of women experience giving birth as traumatic, and 3% of women develop a post‐traumatic stress disorder following childbirth. Knowledge on risk factors is abundant, but studies on treatment are limited. This study aimed to present an overview of means to prevent traumatic birth experiences and childbirth‐related post‐traumatic stress disorder. Material and methods: Major databases [Cochrane; Embase; Psyc INFO; PubMed (Medline)] were searched using combinations of the key words and their synonyms. Results: After screening titles and abstracts and reading 135 full‐text articles, 13 studies were included. All evaluated secondary prevention, and none primary prevention. Interventions included debriefing, structured psychological interventions, expressive writing interventions, encouraging skin‐to‐skin contact with healthy newborns immediately postpartum and holding or seeing the newborn after stillbirth. The large heterogeneity of study characteristics precluded pooling of data. The writing interventions to express feelings appeared to be effective in prevention. A psychological intervention including elements of exposure and psycho‐education seemed to lead to fewer post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms in women who delivered via emergency cesarean section. Conclusions: No research has been done on primary prevention of traumatic childbirth. Research on secondary prevention of traumatic childbirth and post‐traumatic stress disorder following delivery provides insufficient evidence that the described interventions are effective in unselected groups of women. In certain subgroups, results are inhomogeneous.

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Authors
de Graaff, L. F., Honig, A., van Pampus, M. G., & Stramrood, C. A. I.
Affiliations
  • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology OLVG Hospital Amsterdam Netherlands
  • OLVG (NL)
  • University Medical Center Utrecht (NL)
ORCID
Venue
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2018-03-02
Volume
97
Issue
6
Pages
648-656
ISSN
  • 0001-6349 (ISSN-L)
  • 1600-0412
DOI
10.1111/aogs.13291
OpenAlex
W2782675566
Semantic Scholar
d12eca1f4900b53198a1a830f4295dc844eae480
Cited by
166
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 5
FWCI
2.03
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Acta Obstetricia Et Gynecologica Scandinavica (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
Keywords
post-traumatic stress disorder, childbirth, birth trauma, secondary prevention, debriefing, expressive writing, skin-to-skin contact, stillbirth, emergency cesarean section, psychological intervention, exposure therapy, psychoeducation
MeSH terms
Adult, Female, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Pregnancy, Risk Factors, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Parturition

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