Happy new year to everyone. There was lots of research carried out in this area last year – lets hope this year is just as good!
Psychological and somatic sequelae of traumatic vaginal delivery: A literature review.
Abstract
This literature review seeks to examine current knowledge of birth trauma associated with major pelvic floor dysfunction by interpreting and critically appraising existing published material. A search of the literature for peer reviewed journal articles was conducted between September and December 2013 of the following databases: PubMed; Wiley Online; MEDLINE; OvidSP; ScienceDirect; MD Consult Australia; Biomed Central; Sage; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Unpublished interviews from mothers who attended two tertiary teaching hospitals in Sydney, Australia and international Internet blogs/websites were also utilised. Maternal birth trauma seems to be a common cause of pelvic floor dysfunction. Women who have sustained birth trauma to the levator ani muscle or the anal sphincters are often injured more seriously than generally believed. There often is a substantial latency between trauma and the manifestation of symptoms. Urinary and faecal incontinence, prolapse and sexual dysfunction are commonly seen as too embarrassing to discuss with clinicians, and frequently, new mothers have inaccurate recollections of obstetric procedures that occurred without much explanation or explicit consent. Moreover, somatic traumamay contribute to psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. The link between somatic and psychological trauma is poorly understood.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25537397
Maintaining factors of posttraumatic stress symptoms following childbirth: A population-based, two-year follow-up study.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Previous research has established a number of risk factors that are associated with the onset of PTSD following childbirth. However, little is known about factors that maintain PTSD symptoms.
METHODS:
This study is part of the Akershus Birth Cohort. Questionnaire data from pregnancy week 17, 8 weeks postpartum and 2 years postpartum were used. 1473 women completed all these three questionnaires and were included in the analyses. Post-traumatic stress symptoms were measured with the Impact of Event Scale. Potential maintaining factors were personality, sleep, support and life events. The factors that were significantly correlated with post-traumatic stress symptoms were entered into regression analyses. Mediation analyses were run to test whether significant predictors would serve as mediator of post-traumatic stress symptoms at 8 weeks postpartum to post-traumatic stress symptoms at 2 years postpartum.
RESULTS:
We found several low to moderate associations between maintaining factors and PTSD symptoms two years postpartum. Adjusting for the starting point – PTSD symptoms 8 weeks postpartum – only insomnia remained significantly associated. Further, insomnia mediated a small portion of the effect of PTSD symptoms 8 weeks postpartum to PTSD symptoms 2 years postpartum.
LIMITATIONS:
Limitations of the study include a relative homogeneous sample, modest effect sizes, low internal consistency of some of the measures and the challenge to distinguish insomnia from PTSD symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS:
Treatment of postpartum PTSD might benefit from addressing insomnia if present. Alleviating insomnia may itself reduce daytime symptoms of PTSD and it may also increase the efficacy of primary PTSD treatments.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25451409
Cognitive biases in processing infant emotion by women with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder in pregnancy or after birth: A systematic review
Webb, R., Ayers, S.
Abstract
Perinatal psychological problems such as post-natal depression are associated with poor mother–baby interaction, but the reason for this is not clear. One explanation is that mothers with negative mood have biased processing of infant emotion. This review aimed to synthesise research on processing of infant emotion by pregnant or post-natal women with anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Systematic searches were carried out on 11 electronic databases using terms related to negative affect, childbirth and perception of emotion. Fourteen studies were identified which looked at the effect of depression, anxiety and PTSD on interpretation of infant emotional expressions (k = 10), or reaction times when asked to ignore emotional expressions (k = 4). Results suggest mothers with depression and anxiety are more likely to identify negative emotions (i.e., sadness) and less accurate at identifying positive emotions (i.e., happiness) in infant faces. Additionally, women with depression may disengage faster from positive and negative infant emotional expressions. Very few studies examined PTSD (k = 2), but results suggest biases towards specific infant emotions may be influenced by characteristics of the traumatic event. The implications of this research for mother–infant interaction are explored.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25472032
Subjective appraisal of threat (Criterion A2) as a predictor of distress in childbearing women
Devilly, G.J. , Gullo, M.J., Alcorn, K.L., O’Donovan, A.
Abstract
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, has removed criterion A2 from the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder. The current study aimed to assess the claim that criterion A2 has low use in predicting distress, while addressing the shortcomings of previous research looking at criteria A1 and A2. Data from a longitudinal, prospective study was used, with 933 women having been assessed at four time points both prebirth and postbirth. In our sample of women, model comparisons suggest that criterion A2 should be reintroduced into the diagnostic criteria as it provides a better indicator of who goes on to have problems after giving birth than criterion A1 on its own. There is also evidence that this subjective reaction to event confrontation (A2) should include anger, shame, and guilt.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25411717
How to Help Women at Risk for Acute Stress Disorder After Childbirth
Hall, M.F.
Abstract
For some women, childbirth is a traumatic experience that results in significant mental and emotional distress. Whether owing to birth complications, postpartum events such as hemorrhage or pre-existing risk factors such as past history of sexual abuse or rape, the emotional effects of childbirth trauma can lead to acute stress disorder (ASD). To provide the best care for women after childbirth, it’s imperative that nurses be able to identify signs of ASD and intervene appropriately. There are many things nurses can do to help women in what could be the most vulnerable time of their lives