Potentially traumatic childbirth experience, childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and the parent-infant relationship in non-birthing parents
Abstract Background Non-birthing parents are typically present for the birth of their infants. Evidence suggests that some non-birthing parents may experience witnessing childbirth as traumatic, with some going on to develop childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD). This study aim...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07200-3 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1823861497330139136 |
|---|---|
| author | Rebecca Hunter Leonardo De Pascalis Kieran Anders Pauline Slade |
| author_facet | Rebecca Hunter Leonardo De Pascalis Kieran Anders Pauline Slade |
| author_sort | Rebecca Hunter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Non-birthing parents are typically present for the birth of their infants. Evidence suggests that some non-birthing parents may experience witnessing childbirth as traumatic, with some going on to develop childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD). This study aimed to explore the associations between non-birthing parents’ experiences of childbirth, symptoms of CB-PTSD, and the parent-infant relationship. The COVID-19 pandemic context is considered throughout the study, although it must be noted that most data were not collected during UK lockdown restrictions. Methods A cross-sectional design was utilised. Participants were non-birthing parents who were present for the birth of their first infant, aged between 6 weeks and 12 months old. Participants were recruited through social media platforms via third-sector organisations, namely Dad Matters; a Home-Start project and The Birth Trauma Association. A total of 312 non-birthing parents provided demographic details and obstetric details of the mother’s birth. They also completed questionnaires about their experiences of the birth they were present for, CB-PTSD symptoms, and levels of warmth and invasion in the parent-infant relationship. Results Within this sample, 49% experienced the birth they were present for as potentially traumatic. Moreover, 10.1% met clinical criteria for CB-PTSD symptoms, and an additional 7% met sub-clinical criteria. Non-birthing parents who experienced birth as potentially traumatic reported significantly higher CB-PTSD symptoms and felt a greater sense of invasion in relation to their infant. However, levels of warmth in the parent-infant relationship were not statistically different between the two groups. CB-PTSD symptoms had significant associations with invasion but not with warmth, and they mediated the relationship between possible birth trauma and invasion in the parent-infant relationship. Conclusions This study’s sample revealed a substantial proportion of non-birthing parents experiencing birth as potentially traumatic, with 10.1% meeting CB-PTSD criteria, a higher incidence than previously reported in the literature. This may be attributed the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. CB-PTSD symptoms were negatively associated with feelings of invasion in the parent-infant relationship, but not with warmth. Future research should aim to replicate this study design with routine samples of non-birthing parents recruited from maternity settings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ba8cc9080b3d4019b52cf8154337d414 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2393 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| spelling | doaj-art-ba8cc9080b3d4019b52cf8154337d4142025-02-09T12:58:59ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932025-02-0125111210.1186/s12884-025-07200-3Potentially traumatic childbirth experience, childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and the parent-infant relationship in non-birthing parentsRebecca Hunter0Leonardo De Pascalis1Kieran Anders2Pauline Slade3Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of LiverpoolDepartment of Psychological Science, University of LiverpoolHome-Start HOSTDepartment of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of LiverpoolAbstract Background Non-birthing parents are typically present for the birth of their infants. Evidence suggests that some non-birthing parents may experience witnessing childbirth as traumatic, with some going on to develop childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD). This study aimed to explore the associations between non-birthing parents’ experiences of childbirth, symptoms of CB-PTSD, and the parent-infant relationship. The COVID-19 pandemic context is considered throughout the study, although it must be noted that most data were not collected during UK lockdown restrictions. Methods A cross-sectional design was utilised. Participants were non-birthing parents who were present for the birth of their first infant, aged between 6 weeks and 12 months old. Participants were recruited through social media platforms via third-sector organisations, namely Dad Matters; a Home-Start project and The Birth Trauma Association. A total of 312 non-birthing parents provided demographic details and obstetric details of the mother’s birth. They also completed questionnaires about their experiences of the birth they were present for, CB-PTSD symptoms, and levels of warmth and invasion in the parent-infant relationship. Results Within this sample, 49% experienced the birth they were present for as potentially traumatic. Moreover, 10.1% met clinical criteria for CB-PTSD symptoms, and an additional 7% met sub-clinical criteria. Non-birthing parents who experienced birth as potentially traumatic reported significantly higher CB-PTSD symptoms and felt a greater sense of invasion in relation to their infant. However, levels of warmth in the parent-infant relationship were not statistically different between the two groups. CB-PTSD symptoms had significant associations with invasion but not with warmth, and they mediated the relationship between possible birth trauma and invasion in the parent-infant relationship. Conclusions This study’s sample revealed a substantial proportion of non-birthing parents experiencing birth as potentially traumatic, with 10.1% meeting CB-PTSD criteria, a higher incidence than previously reported in the literature. This may be attributed the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. CB-PTSD symptoms were negatively associated with feelings of invasion in the parent-infant relationship, but not with warmth. Future research should aim to replicate this study design with routine samples of non-birthing parents recruited from maternity settings.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07200-3Birth traumaNon-birthing parentsParent-infant relationshipCB-PTSDChildbirth |
| spellingShingle | Rebecca Hunter Leonardo De Pascalis Kieran Anders Pauline Slade Potentially traumatic childbirth experience, childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and the parent-infant relationship in non-birthing parents BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Birth trauma Non-birthing parents Parent-infant relationship CB-PTSD Childbirth |
| title | Potentially traumatic childbirth experience, childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and the parent-infant relationship in non-birthing parents |
| title_full | Potentially traumatic childbirth experience, childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and the parent-infant relationship in non-birthing parents |
| title_fullStr | Potentially traumatic childbirth experience, childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and the parent-infant relationship in non-birthing parents |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potentially traumatic childbirth experience, childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and the parent-infant relationship in non-birthing parents |
| title_short | Potentially traumatic childbirth experience, childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and the parent-infant relationship in non-birthing parents |
| title_sort | potentially traumatic childbirth experience childbirth related post traumatic stress disorder symptoms and the parent infant relationship in non birthing parents |
| topic | Birth trauma Non-birthing parents Parent-infant relationship CB-PTSD Childbirth |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07200-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rebeccahunter potentiallytraumaticchildbirthexperiencechildbirthrelatedposttraumaticstressdisordersymptomsandtheparentinfantrelationshipinnonbirthingparents AT leonardodepascalis potentiallytraumaticchildbirthexperiencechildbirthrelatedposttraumaticstressdisordersymptomsandtheparentinfantrelationshipinnonbirthingparents AT kierananders potentiallytraumaticchildbirthexperiencechildbirthrelatedposttraumaticstressdisordersymptomsandtheparentinfantrelationshipinnonbirthingparents AT paulineslade potentiallytraumaticchildbirthexperiencechildbirthrelatedposttraumaticstressdisordersymptomsandtheparentinfantrelationshipinnonbirthingparents |