Glossary

Term · Birth and the First Days

childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder

Also: CB-PTSD, childbirth PTSD, birth PTSD, postpartum PTSD

A set of trauma symptoms that can follow a frightening or distressing birth, such as flashbacks, nightmares, or avoidance. It is treatable, and support is available.

In plain words

Childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder, or CB-PTSD, is a trauma response to birth. A mother may have flashbacks of the birth, nightmares, strong avoidance of reminders, or feel on edge around medical settings. Birth that departs from what she expected can cause this, including an unplanned , an emergency, a hemorrhage, a baby admitted to intensive care, or simply how she was spoken to during labor. Not every mother with a hard birth develops CB-PTSD, and many feel disappointment or grief first. The symptoms can start in the weeks after birth or appear later. A screening questionnaire can help show whether the symptoms need a closer look. Help from a can benefit many mothers.

The deeper version

CB-PTSD meets DSM-5 criteria for after exposure to childbirth involving actual or threatened death or serious injury, to the mother or baby, or perceived threat to integrity. Prevalence estimates vary with instrument and timing, with one systematic review reporting about 4 percent of mothers meeting criteria in the postpartum period and higher rates after operative or emergency birth (Yildiz and colleagues, 2017). Birth-specific screening uses the City Scale (Ayers 2018), and general instruments such as the are used alongside. and have the strongest trial evidence in postpartum PTSD generally. Controversy persists over how much of the response reflects the birth itself versus preexisting risk, prior trauma, and postpartum care quality.

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Sources

  • American Psychiatric Association — Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, 2013
  • Yildiz PD et al. — The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder in pregnancy and after birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders 2017

The Mothership Topic Wiki is general information for mothers and the people who care for them. It is not medical, legal, or mental-health advice and does not create a provider relationship. Experiences posted by members are their own. In an emergency call 911. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988.