Assessing psychological consequences of childbirth-related trauma among postpartum mothers in Thyolo district health facilities in Malawi
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Date
2022-05-12
Authors
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Publisher
Kamuzu University of Health Sciences
Abstract
The study will use cross-sectional quantitative design.
The Problem
Being pregnant and having a baby is a time of huge physiological, psychological and social change
for women. Although the birth of a baby is viewed positively, research suggests between 20 and
40% of women find childbirth psychologically traumatic. Some of these women go on to develop
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result. Thyolo district, despite that pregnant women
give birth in its facilities, but there is no documentation and assessment of consequences of
psychological childbirth-related trauma among postpartum mothers. Furthermore, no studies on
childbirth related trauma have been done in Thyolo district, hence there is no reported data on the
prevalence of childbirth-related trauma and postpartum PTSD among postpartum mothers.
Additionally, in other studies that were conducted in Blantyre district on mental health problems
that affect women in perinatal and postpartum period, specifically on depression, did not reflect
the prevalence and magnitude of childbirth-related trauma among women.
Prevalence rates of childbirth-related trauma and PTSD after birth are not established and variation
in experiences of birth trauma and the expression of PTSD in mothers are not examined in Thyolo
district. Therefore, the researcher intends to conduct this study which will include the assessment
of psychological consequences of childbirth-related trauma among postpartum by determining the
prevalence, evaluating the symptom presentations and examining the aetiology of the problems in
Thyolo district. Henceforth, it is important to identify vulnerability factors affecting women’s
psychological experiences of childbirth and know the true extent of childbirth-related trauma and
postpartum PTSD in order to raise awareness and provide appropriate interventions, in Thyolo
district.
Broad objective of the study
The broad objective of this study is to assess the psychological consequences of childbirth-related
trauma among postpartum mothers in Thyolo District health facilities.
12-May-2022