O-06 Labour and Birth Trauma: The immediate Psychiatric and/or Psychological implications in the Peripartum Period
Author(s):
M Francis
Year of Presentation:
2025
Objective: To investigate the extent to which labour and birth trauma occur at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH)
and possible associations between this form of trauma and the development of immediate psychiatric/psychological
outcomes. To identify changes needed to reduce this trauma.
Methods: Two questionnaires were administered over a three-month period. ‘Questionnaire A’ screened for depressive and anxiety symptoms in the Antenatal Clinic (n=91) to establish baseline mental health, while ‘Questionnaire B’ administered postnatally, used patient-designed items from previously validated research to capture indicators of labour and birth trauma; screening questions were again given postpartum to identify mental health changes (n=63). Frequency tests and a univariate count were conducted to identify the rate at which trauma occurred, while a Pearson product moment ‘r’ correlation test determined associations between trauma and immediate mental health changes.
Results: One in two women experienced labour and birth trauma, with disrespect, lack of information provision and failure to request consent being commonly reported; verbal and physical mistreatment occurred less frequently. About one quarter (28.6%) of women reported one case, while the highest number of incidents of trauma was five in 3.2% of participants. Trauma was significantly associated with depressive symptoms post-delivery (r(63)=0.521,t<0.01) but there was no significant relationship with anxiety pre or postpartum.
Conclusion: The study demonstrated that labour and birth trauma occurred at the QEH in many forms, and that immediate mental health changes can arise after having experienced labour and birth trauma, leading to long-term negative outcomes. Acknowledgement and accountability strategies with sensitization training may reduce occurrences