Post-traumatic stress disorder after birth

Abstract

This year the Millenium Development Goals (United Nations, 2000) will be reviewed, one of which was to improve maternal health.Whilst there has undoubtedly been progress in reducing maternal mortality and physical morbidity (United Nations, 2015), maternal mental health has been less prioritised.This is despite evidence that women's mental health in pregnancy and after birth can have a significant impact on women and the development and health of their baby (WHO, 2013).After birth, the postpartum period is critical for the formation of the mother-baby relationship and establishing patterns of parenting.Mental health problems at this time therefore have a particularly negative impact on these factors and the child's subsequent development (Glasheen, Richardson, & Fabio, 2010;O'Donnell, Glover, Barker, & O'Connor, 2014; WHO, 2013).The cost of perinatal mental health disorders is substantial.A recent report estimated perinatal mental health problems in the UK cost £8.1 billion per annual cohort of women, with 72% of these costs being due to the long term impact on the child (Bauer, Parsonage, Knapp, Iemmi & Adelaja, 2014).This special issue is devoted to one particular mental health problem that arises in response to events of pregnancy and birth -post-traumatic stress disorder.The evidence that women can develop PTSD in response to difficult or traumatic birth experiences is now substantial.Meta-analyses suggest it affects 3.17% of women after birth at diagnostic levels and around 15% of women in high-risk groups, such after preterm or stillbirth (Grekin & O'Hara, 2014).