TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2022//
TI  - Traumatic childbirth and birth-related post-traumatic stress disorder in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study
JO  - International journal of environmental research and public health
A1  - Benzakour, Lamyae
A1  - Gayet-Ageron, Angele
A1  - Jubin, Maria
A1  - Suardi, Francesca
A1  - Pallud, Chloé
A1  - Lombard, Fanny-Blanche
A1  - Quagliarini, Beatrice
A1  - Epiney, Manuella
SP  - e14246
EP  - e14246
VL  - 19
IS  - 21
N2  - 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>
LA  - en
SN  - 1661-7827
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114246
ID  - ref1
ER  -