A prospective study of post traumatic stress symptoms 1 month following childbirth in a group of 42 first-time mothers

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate reported symptoms of post traumatic stress(PTS) within a group of first-time mothers 1 month following childbirth. Forty-two mothers were interviewed on postnatal wards 1-4 days after delivery and assessed using the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI). Their feelings of control during labour and fears of physical harm or death were also recorded. One month after delivery these mothers received a postal questionnaire including Perceived Social Support Scales, Impact of Event Scale (IES), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a repeat MPQ. A small sub-group of women reported symptoms of PTS (IES scores) indicating medium and high levels of distress. Higher IES scorcs were positively associated with feelings of not being in control during delivery, higher EPI ‘neuroticism’ scores, a difficult pregnancy, being induced, having an epidural, and higher EPDS scores. Lower IES scores were associated with higher socio-economic groups and higher scores for perceived family support. Reported symptoms of PTS and postnatal depression were shown to coexist and to present independently with differences in the distributions of the scores and the effects of xnedizting variables. The clinical implications of these results are discussed.