While we are becoming more attentive to screening for depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period, we may not always ask about a history of trauma, especially when a woman has had what most would consider an “uncomplicated” pregnancy. A recent study, however, indicates that a history of trauma may be a risk factor for depression during pregnancy.
This is a topic we do not typically cover on our site, but it is clearly an important one. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has updated its recommendations on screening for family and intimate partner violence (IPV). These guidelines, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, recommend that all women of reproductive age be screened for intimate partner violence. The review provides some information on which screening instruments to use and reviews interventions to reduce the risk of IPV.
A recent study from McGill University has assessed the prevalence and course of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following childbirth. The sample included 308 women who were assessed at four time points: 25-40 weeks gestation, 4-6 weeks postpartum, 3 and 6 months postpartum. Current and prior PTSD were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I) and the Modified PTSD Symptom Scale Self-Report (MPSS-SR).
It is common for women experiencing infertility and undergoing fertility treatment to experience significant emotional distress. Many women, reasoning that their emotional health influences their physical functioning, worry that the stress and anxiety they experience in this context may hinder their ability to become pregnant.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs in approximately 10% of all women at some point in their lifetime. PTSD tends to occur more commonly in women during their childbearing years, yet we have only recently begun to look more closely at the incidence of PTSD associated with childbirth.
Understanding posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during pregnancy is important given that PTSD is relatively common and persistent in nature. PTSD will occur in approximately 10% of women in their lifetime, with one-third of episodes lasting more than five years. Given the relatively high prevalence of PTSD in young women and the chronic nature of the illness, many women may experience PTSD symptoms during pregnancy.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after childbirth is an understudied condition. Traditionally, much of the data have been based on case reports, indicating that PTSD can occur following a range of childbirth and child loss situations, including long or complicated labor, severe pain with labor or delivery, cesarean section, and unanticipated pregnancy outcome, such as child loss, miscarriage or infant birth defects. PTSD related to childbirth is frequently overlooked by physicians; the relative newness of the diagnosis and lack of literature on this topic are factors which may hinder recognition of this disorder.
The link between maternal depression and anxiety during pregnancy and adverse neonatal outcome has been well-documented in the medical literature and reviewed on our website. A recent study published in the journal Early Human Development suggests that a mother's stress during pregnancy may also negatively affect her baby's sleep patterns.
Previous studies have suggested that prenatal stress may be associated with a spectrum of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth and low birth weight (reviewed in Hobel et al, 2008). A recent study from Danish researchers has investigated the impact of psychological stress on risk for stillbirth.
While genetic factors are clearly important in determining a child’s risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), recent studies have investigated the link between exposure to certain maternal behaviors during pregnancy, such as smoking and alcohol use, and the risk of developing behavioral problems related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in childhood. While multiple studies have indicated a greater risk of ADHD symptoms among children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy, contradictory findings were reported in studies focusing on exposure to alcohol. Results from studies investigating the impact of psychological stress during pregnancy have been inconsistent but suggest a possible contribution to ADHD symptoms int he offspring.
