The psychosocial experience of traumatic birth in couples: an interpretative phenomenological study

BackgroundOne-third of women report a psychologically traumatic event during birth; limited research exists on how couples experience and process self-reported traumatic birth.Aims and objectivesThis study aimed to examine the lived experience and psychosocial impact of traumatic birth in couples.MethodsInterpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to explore in-depth participants' lived experience during and after traumatic childbirth. Four couples were recruited, from women experiencing vaginal deliveries in the public hospital system in Australia during the past 5 years. Women and men were interviewed individually.ResultsThree superordinate themes were identified: 'Compassionless care' (experiences of being dismissed, devalued and degraded by care providers), 'Violation and subjugation' (women's bodies and birthing experiences being violated) and 'Parenting after birth trauma' (challenges in caring for a newborn following trauma and recovery from trauma).DiscussionCouples described care providers' actions as a major contributing factor to trauma experiences. Couples contextualised care in terms of under-resourced wards and perceived women were treated as a means to an end. Women and men both described feeling fearful, distressed and devalued. Following birth trauma, individual cognitive factors, such as negative self-evaluations and avoidance of the trauma memory interacted with family system to shape trauma-related distress.ConclusionsFuture research would benefit from highlighting the systemic context in which compassionless care occurs, and the family system in which trauma is experienced and processed. Findings reinforce that psychosocial safety must be considered in addition to physical safety for both women and men in maternity care practices.

Automated summary

This study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to examine the lived experience and psychosocial impact of traumatic birth in couples. The findings showed that the way care providers treated patients was a major contributing factor to traumatic birth experiences. The study also highlighted the challenges of parenting after birth trauma and the importance of considering psychosocial safety in maternity care.