Examining the connection between perceived stress and post-traumatic stress in women who experienced a traumatic childbirth

Aim: This study aimed to: (1) explore post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in relation to sociodemographic, obstetric, and childbirth trauma factors; (2) assess the association between perceived stress levels and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms; and (3) analyze how the duration of perceived stress affects post-traumatic stress disorder. Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: Data were collected via an online survey, including demographic and obstetric information, traumatic childbirth events, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and perceived stress levels and duration in the postpartum period. The study was conducted with 202 women who self-identified as having experienced a traumatic childbirth. Results: Post-traumatic stress disorder scores did not differ significantly by most sociodemographic or obstetric factors, but cesarean delivery was linked to higher post-traumatic stress disorder scores compared to vaginal delivery with forceps or vacuum extraction, mediated by increased perceived stress. Perceived stress levels showed a significant positive association with all post-traumatic stress disorder dimensions. Stress duration significantly was related to total post-traumatic stress disorder scores, with longer stress being associated with greater severity of symptoms. Conclusion: Cesarean delivery and prolonged, elevated stress during childbirth are key risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, highlighting the need for targeted postpartum mental health interventions.

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/13538

Citation

Brandão, S., Silva, R., Abreu, W., Prata, A. P., Brandão, T., Riklikiene, O., Jarasiunaite-Fedosejeva, G., Mesa, E. G., İsbir, G. G., İnci, F., Kömürcü-Akik, B., Uriko, K., Governo, T., & Thomson, G. (2025). Examining the connection between perceived stress and post-traumatic stress in women who experienced a traumatic childbirth. Central European Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 16(1), 2085–2093. https://doi.org/10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0001