Prevalence of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Women with Normal Vaginal Delivery and Those with Caesarian Section

Abstract

: Childbirth causes intense emotional arousal that may cause traumatic psychological symptoms in some women. This study investigated the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women with normal vaginal delivery and those with caesarian section. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in selected health centers affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2018. The samples included 714 patients (328 vaginal deliveries and 386 cesarean deliveries). Sampling was performed using the convenience sampling method in two cluster stages after selecting the clinic. Mothers were determined to be traumatic in their delivery according to criterion A in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Version DSM-IV (with four questions). Then, a demographics checklist and a stress disorder questionnaire were filled out for all the mothers after a traumatic delivery through interviews. The prevalence of postpartum stress disorder was higher in the cesarean section group (10.8%) than in the normal vaginal delivery group (10%), but this difference was not significant (P = 0.275). Although the prevalence of PTSD between the two groups was not significant, the prevalence of PTSD was significantly higher in this study than in reports from other countries. This highlights the need for targeted interventions to reduce this disorder.