PTSD after childbirth

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 5, 2007

Googling turned up some of the following for me:

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/05/1054700311400.html

http://www.4therapy.com/consumer/conditions/item.php?uniqueid=4228&categoryid=415&

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLR,GGLR:2006-43,GGLR:en&q=ptsd+and+childbirth%27

A couple articles on the subject:

Beck, Cheryl Tatano. Birth Trauma: In the Eye of the Beholder. Nursing Research. 53(1):28-35, January/February 2004.

Ryding, Elsa Lena, MD; Wijma, Klaas, PhD; Wijma, Barbro, MD PhD. Experiences of Emergency Cesarean Section. Birth 25 (4), 246-251. doi: 10.1046/j.1523-536X.1998.00246.x.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/post-traumatic_stress_disorder_ptsd/article_em.htm

good luck.

htrn · Feb 5, 2007

No articles as wonderful as Smiling BlueEyes, but I did have a pt last week that would probably qualify as PTSD after childbirth. She was a G3P2, Group B strep + whose last baby apparently had some issues at birth. In terms of what we see, it doesn't seem like it was anything too terrible - ? IV abx, TTN, bili-lites - but nothing that really stands out for any of us. We do know that the doctor that delivered her last child tends to yell bloody murder at her pts during pushing - especially if there are decels.

She was scheduled for an induction but called two nights before and decided she was not going to go thru with it. Doctor documented in her chart that everytime they even try to have a conversation about delivery she begins to cry and cannot even discuss. Ended up a scheduled PCS for severe maternal anxiety. I say probably PTSD.

Psychaprn · Feb 6, 2007

I'm not sure what you mean. Do do you mean mothers's who had PTSD and gave birth or mothers who gave birth and developed PTSD from the labor/delivery?

orcagrrrl2003 · Feb 7, 2007

Mothers who gave birth and developed PTSD

Psychaprn · Feb 9, 2007

I have treated several mothers who developed PTSD after childbirth but usually there is some history of trauma-i.e sexual abuse or depression/anxiety. They tend to respond well to a brief course of psychotherapy to ventilate and process the events of the birth and maybe meds, for depression/anxiety or sleep-with careful attention to whether they are breastfeeeding. I have found Xanax xr and Zoloft to be the safest if th mother is breast feeding. It is critical to involve their partner, family or friends to help in any way they can. The saddest ones who may need longer more agressive treatment are the ones whose babies die after delivery. I've had a few of these moms and I always cry after the session is over or even with them at times.

Beech1184 · Feb 9, 2007

I think you want to look at post Partum Depression rather than PTSD. There is a huge difference for women after childbirth. Though it does not seem to be fully acknowledged and well treated in the US it is fully recognized as a serious complication of Pregnancy and Delivery in most countries.It's not a question of a traumatic delivery, it's a question of hormonal imbalance which can last for months and may not present itself for several weeks after delivery. It is a treatable condition.

BouBou · Feb 9, 2007

I would say that my mother had PTSD after she had me. It was 1978 and she was 17, the hospital would not allow any family members to come with her. At the time she could only understand English but couldn't speak it fully. (She spoke Spanish) No translators available. At one point she was trying to get out of bed and was sitting up on her knees in the bed and a nurse came a pushed her torso back which caused her to land in a crab position. She began yelling and trying to get her legs from under her and the staff decided she was combative and she was restrained like a mental patient. Then she was drugged , had her pubic area shaved, an enema given and an episiotomy. All of these things were done without her consent and she said no to eveything. Although, she couldn't speak English fluently, No in Spanish is the same as No in English. She began to hallucinate as a result of the medication. When she finally delivered, she couldn't even look at me. The effects of the drugs combined with the stress of delivery were all to much. She said her vision was colorful and distorted. There are pictures that my grandmother has of my mother restrained. They didn't even bother to untie after she gave birth. My grandmother untied her the next morning when she was allowed to visit.

Afterwards, she refused to allow the nurses to bring me to her for days. She was in the hospital for about five days and each morning the nurses would come and ask if she wanted to see her baby and she would say no.

Finally, a nurse brought a baby to her and said why don't you hold this baby and see how it is and then I'll bring your baby. My mother said she held the baby and it was beautiful. She began to cry and said she wished her baby was this beautiful. The nurse replied she is that beautiful because that's your baby.

My mother still gets emotional about her labor experience and was quite frantic when she came for my delivery. She was almost in tears before my labor even started just looking at me. However, I had a lovely midwife and had a wonderful birth experience. My midwife was very supportive of my mother's anxiety and remarked that women used to be treated awfully in the past. I am an only child and think part of that is because of my Mother's labor experience. She has adopted other children but refused to get pregnant.

orcagrrrl2003 · Feb 10, 2007

I think you want to look at post Partum Depression rather than PTSD. There is a huge difference for women after childbirth. Though it does not seem to be fully acknowledged and well treated in the US it is fully recognized as a serious complication of Pregnancy and Delivery in most countries.It's not a question of a traumatic delivery, it's a question of hormonal imbalance which can last for months and may not present itself for several weeks after delivery. It is a treatable condition.

No, I want info on PTSD. I was diagnosed with PTSD 6 months after my son was born, after his very traumatic delivery.(premature, I had severe eclampsia, his APGAR was 2 at 1 min, 6 at 5, long story) I know PPD is very serious also, but I am more focused on the PTSD angle. I have had no problem finding reports on PPD, but I am trying to find some 'offical' reports on PTSD. Not having as much luck as I thought I would...

Sara

trellimana · Feb 15, 2007

Check with the ICAN support group, there are many women there who suffered PTSD after a c/s and they usually have many resources and citations available for anyone who asks. Their main website is www.ican-online.org