Logo image
Back
A scoping review of effective health practices for the treatment of birth trauma
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

A scoping review of effective health practices for the treatment of birth trauma

Julie Jomeen, Frances Guy, Julia Marsden, Marilyn Clarke, Jennifer Darby, Angeline Landry and Elaine Jefford
Midwifery, Vol.145, pp.1-17
06/2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2025.104382
PMID: 40163912
pdf
A scoping review of effective health practices1.20 MBDownloadView
Published (Version of record) Open Access CC BY V4.0
url
A scoping review of effective health practicesView
Published (Version of record) Open CC BY V4.0

Related links

Metrics

1 File views/ downloads
42 Record Views
3 Times Cited - Web of Science

Abstract

birth trauma childbirth-related PTSD interventions Review
Background There is currently no consensus on the most effective health practices to manage or reduce the effects of birth trauma (BT) and childbirth related posttraumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD). Aim The aim of this review was to map the current literature on health practices for BT/CB-PTSD, identify key elements important for effective health practices, and highlight gaps in maternity care. Methods A systematic search was conducted across key nursing, allied, and medical database (MEDLINE, Scopus, PubMed) for key terms related to (1) birth trauma and (2) intervention. Only peer-reviewed, English-language papers published since 2000 were included to ensure the relevance and timeliness of the findings. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, 6,347 articles were identified through atabases/registers and citation searching. After removing 1,342 duplicates, 5,005 were screened by title and abstract. A further 4,544 were excluded, leaving 461 for full-text screening. Of excluding another 433, 28 papers met inclusion for this review. Findings The first session delivered early (within the first 72 hours of birth) by a clinician (midwife/psychologist/counsellor) significantly reduced BT/CB-PTSD in the short-term. Trauma-focused and non-trauma focused were supported at this stage, provided they were structured. If intervention is delayed (weeks to months post-birth), a trauma-focused, multi-session approach is recommended. Discussion Early, structured interventions should be considered routine care for women with BT/CB-PTSD, with more intensive, structured, trauma-focused approach for persistent symptoms. The potential role of digital mental health tools is promising, particularly for women in low-resource settings, but requires further research to evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and sustainability.

Details

Logo image