@article{ref1,
title="Traumatic childbirth and birth-related post-traumatic stress disorder in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study",
journal="International journal of environmental research and public health",
year="2022",
author="Benzakour, Lamyae and Gayet-Ageron, Angele and Jubin, Maria and Suardi, Francesca and Pallud, Chloé and Lombard, Fanny-Blanche and Quagliarini, Beatrice and Epiney, Manuella",
volume="19",
number="21",
pages="e14246-e14246",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Birth-related post-traumatic stress disorder occurs in 4.7% of mothers. No previous study focusing precisely on the stress factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic regarding this important public mental health issue has been conducted. However, the stress load brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic could have influenced this risk. <br><br>METHODS: We aimed to estimate the prevalence of traumatic childbirth and birth-related PTSD and to analyze the risk and protective factors involved, including the risk factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a prospective cohort study of women who delivered at the University Hospitals of Geneva between 25 January 2021 and 10 March 2022 with an assessment within 3 days of delivery and a clinical interview at one month post-partum. <br><br>RESULTS: Among the 254 participants included, 35 (21.1%, 95% CI: 15.1-28.1%) experienced a traumatic childbirth and 15 (9.1%, 95% CI: 5.2-14.6%) developed a birth-related PTSD at one month post-partum according to DSM-5. Known risk factors of birth-related PTSD such as antenatal depression, previous traumatic events, neonatal complications, peritraumatic distress and peritraumatic dissociation were confirmed. Among the factors related to COVID-19, only limited access to prenatal care increased the risk of birth-related PTSD. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the challenges of early mental health screening during the maternity stay when seeking to provide an early intervention and reduce the risk of developing birth-related PTSD. We found a modest influence of stress factors directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic on this risk.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1661-7827",
doi="10.3390/ijerph192114246",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114246"
}