Post-traumatic symptoms after childbirth: what should we offer?
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
16808085
Abstract
Most studies on post-traumatic stress symptoms after childbirth have focused on prevalence of and looked at etiological factors and predictors. While most authors agree that around 1.5% of the women develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and significantly more present with post-traumatic stress symptoms, the studies still lack a proper diagnosis using diagnostic interviews to validate the enhanced stress scores found in questionnaires. Also, some relevant predicting factors such as pre-existing psychopathology and dissociation during labor have not been investigated so far. Mostly, however, research on counseling strategies for women with post-traumatic symptoms after childbirth has been neglected. While most women remain in a mother-child unit during the first days after birth, there is a unique opportunity to systematically assess birth experience in this setting and screen for women at risk for developing trauma symptoms. This article presents a multilevel counseling approach including postnatal counseling and counseling in a subsequent pregnancy.
Date Issued
2006
Publication Type
Article
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Alder, Judith | |
Tschudin, Sibil | |
Bitzer, Johannes |
Additional Credits
Journal
Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynecology
Publisher
Informa Healthcare
ISSN
0167-482X
ISBN
16808085
Access(Rights)
metadata.only