Childhood sexual abuse as a predictor of birth-related posttraumatic stress and postpartum posttraumatic stress Rachel Lev-Wiesela, Shir Daphna-Tekoahc and Mordechai Hallakd,School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Hacarmel, Haifa 31905, Israel. Graduate School of Creative Arts Therapies, University of Haifa, Hacarmel, Haifa 31905, Israel
cJack J. and Charlotte B. Spitzer Department of Social Work, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, Israel
Abstract
Objective
To investigate the extent to which childbirth may function as a retraumatization of childhood sexual abuse, and may exacerbate postpartum posttraumatic stress reactions.
Methods
Data was obtained from a convenience sample of 837 women in mid-pregnancy, at 2 and 6 months following childbirth. Three groups were drawn from this sample: women who experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA), women survivors of trauma other than CSA, and women who reported no-trauma experiences.
Results
PTSD subcategories of intrusion and arousal were increased in the CSA group following childbirth, although the overall PTSD score did not increase following childbirth in any of the groups CSA survivors scored higher at all data collection time points.
ConclusionsCSA is a traumatic event that has greater negative long-term effects than other traumas in the population of pregnant women.
Practice implications
Identifying women who are survivors of CSA early in their pregnancy and establishing a risk assessment may significantly reduce delivery complications and consequently mitigate postpartum PTS outcomes.
This research was supported by the Israel Science Foundation (grant no. 420/04).
Corresponding author at: School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Hacarmel, Haifa 31905, Israel.