Risk factors for childbirth-related post-traumatic stress symptoms in mothers and coparents: A prospective...

Childbirth-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (CB-PTSS), consisting of birth-related symptoms (BRS) and general symptoms (GS), can affect up to 13% of mothers and 1.3% of coparents (i.e., non-birthing parents). Previous studies on mothers have identified prenatal, childbirth-related, and postpartum risk factors for the development of CB-PTSS, but more evidence for coparents is needed. The present study aims to investigate a model of prenatal, childbirth-related, and postpartum risk factors for CB-PTSS in mothers and coparents.

350 mothers and 211 coparents participated in a longitudinal study. Prenatal risk factors were assessed during the third trimester of pregnancy. Childbirth-related and postpartum risk factors, and CB-PTSS were assessed between 6 and 12 weeks postpartum.

The model explained 56.6% of the variance of CB-PTSS for mothers and 45.5% for coparents. Significant risk factors for mothers included previous trauma, prenatal depressive symptoms, perception of traumatic childbirth, support from professionals, postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms (β ranged from 0.085 to 0.419). For coparents, significant risk factors included infant complications, perception of traumatic childbirth, postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms (β ranged from 0.141 to 0.449). Regarding clusters of symptoms, birth-related risk factors explained the largest part of the variance of BRS, whereas postpartum risk factors explained the largest part of the variance of GS.

The results of this study provide information on the prenatal, birth-related, and postpartum variables contributing to CB-PTSS for mothers and coparents. The study also contributes to the understanding of CB-PTSD symptom clusters by highlighting important risk factors in the development of these symptoms.