Traumatic Childbirth and Birth-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Cohort Study

Lamyae Benzakour (), Angèle Gayet-Ageron, Maria Jubin, Francesca Suardi, Chloé Pallud, Fanny-Blanche Lombard, Beatrice Quagliarini and Manuella Epiney
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Lamyae Benzakour: Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Angèle Gayet-Ageron: Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
Maria Jubin: Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Francesca Suardi: Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Chloé Pallud: Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
Fanny-Blanche Lombard: Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
Beatrice Quagliarini: Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Manuella Epiney: Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-29

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. 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. 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. 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.

Keywords: birth-related PTSD; traumatic childbirth; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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