Birth expectations, birth experiences and childbirth-related post-traumatic stress symptoms in mothers and birth companions:

Asuman Buyukcan-Tetik; Lara Seefeld; Luisa Bergunde; Turan Deniz Ergun; Pelin Dikmen-Yildiz; Antje Horsch; Susan Garthus-Niegel; Mirjam Oosterman; Joan Lalor; Tobias Weigl; Annick Bogaerts; Sarah Van Haeken; Soo Downe; Susan Ayers

doi:10.1111/bjhp.12738

Birth expectations, birth experiences and childbirth-related post-traumatic stress symptoms in mothers and birth companions:

Asuman Buyukcan-Tetik
, Lara Seefeld
, Luisa Bergunde
, Turan Deniz Ergun
, Pelin Dikmen-Yildiz
, Antje Horsch
, Susan Garthus-Niegel
, Mirjam Oosterman
, Joan Lalor
, Tobias Weigl
, Annick Bogaerts
, Sarah Van Haeken
, Soo Downe
, Susan Ayers^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: During the perinatal period, women and their birth companions form expectations about childbirth. We aimed to examine whether a mismatch between birth expectations and experiences predict childbirth-related post-traumatic stress symptoms (CB-PTSS) for mothers and birth companions. We also explored the influence of the mismatch between mothers' and birth companions' expectations/experiences on CB-PTSS.

DESIGN: Dyadic longitudinal data from the Self-Hypnosis IntraPartum Trial.

METHODS: Participants (n = 469 mothers; n = 358 birth companions) completed questionnaires at 27 and 36 weeks of gestation and 2 and 6 weeks post-partum. We used the measures of birth expectations (36 weeks gestation), birth experiences (2 weeks post-partum) and CB-PTSS (6 weeks post-partum).

RESULTS: Correlations revealed that birth expectations were associated with experiences for both mothers and birth companions but were not consistently associated with CB-PTSS. Birth experiences related to CB-PTSS for both mothers and birth companions. The response surface analysis results showed no support for the effect of a mismatch between expectations and experiences on CB-PTSS in mothers or birth companions. Similarly, a mismatch between mothers' and birth companions' expectations or experiences was unrelated to CB-PTSS.

CONCLUSIONS: Following previous literature, birth expectations were associated with experiences, and experiences were associated with CB-PTSS. By testing the effect of the match between birth experiences and expectations using an advanced statistical method, we found that experiences play a more substantial role than the match between experiences and expectations in CB-PTSS. The impact of birth experiences on CB-PTSS highlights the importance of respectful and supportive maternity care.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	925-942
Number of pages	18
Journal	British Journal of Health Psychology
Volume	29
Issue number	4
Early online date	26 Jun 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12738
Publication status	Published - Nov 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s). British Journal of Health Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.

Funding

This work was funded by the European Union (EU) Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Programme (CA18211: DEVoTION: Perinatal Mental Health and Birth\u2010Related Trauma: Maximizing best practice and optimal outcomes). This paper reports secondary analysis of data from the SHIP project which was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme (Grant Reference Number PB\u2010PG\u20100808\u201016234). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Funders	Funder number
European Commission
National Institute for Health and Care Research
Research for Patient Benefit Programme	PB‐PG‐0808‐16234
Research for Patient Benefit Programme

Keywords

birth expectations
birth experiences
dyadic analysis
longitudinal data
post-traumatic stress symptoms
response surface analysis

Access to Document

10.1111/bjhp.12738Licence: CC BY

British J Health Psychol - 2024 - Buyukcan‐Tetik - Birth expectations birth experiences and childbirth‐relatedFinal published version, 568 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Buyukcan-Tetik, A., Seefeld, L., Bergunde, L., Ergun, T. D., Dikmen-Yildiz, P., Horsch, A., Garthus-Niegel, S., Oosterman, M., Lalor, J., Weigl, T., Bogaerts, A., Van Haeken, S., Downe, S., & Ayers, S. (2024). Birth expectations, birth experiences and childbirth-related post-traumatic stress symptoms in mothers and birth companions: British Journal of Health Psychology, 29(4), 925-942. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12738

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title = "Birth expectations, birth experiences and childbirth-related post-traumatic stress symptoms in mothers and birth companions:",

abstract = "OBJECTIVES: During the perinatal period, women and their birth companions form expectations about childbirth. We aimed to examine whether a mismatch between birth expectations and experiences predict childbirth-related post-traumatic stress symptoms (CB-PTSS) for mothers and birth companions. We also explored the influence of the mismatch between mothers' and birth companions' expectations/experiences on CB-PTSS.DESIGN: Dyadic longitudinal data from the Self-Hypnosis IntraPartum Trial.METHODS: Participants (n = 469 mothers; n = 358 birth companions) completed questionnaires at 27 and 36 weeks of gestation and 2 and 6 weeks post-partum. We used the measures of birth expectations (36 weeks gestation), birth experiences (2 weeks post-partum) and CB-PTSS (6 weeks post-partum).RESULTS: Correlations revealed that birth expectations were associated with experiences for both mothers and birth companions but were not consistently associated with CB-PTSS. Birth experiences related to CB-PTSS for both mothers and birth companions. The response surface analysis results showed no support for the effect of a mismatch between expectations and experiences on CB-PTSS in mothers or birth companions. Similarly, a mismatch between mothers' and birth companions' expectations or experiences was unrelated to CB-PTSS.CONCLUSIONS: Following previous literature, birth expectations were associated with experiences, and experiences were associated with CB-PTSS. By testing the effect of the match between birth experiences and expectations using an advanced statistical method, we found that experiences play a more substantial role than the match between experiences and expectations in CB-PTSS. The impact of birth experiences on CB-PTSS highlights the importance of respectful and supportive maternity care.",

keywords = "birth expectations, birth experiences, dyadic analysis, longitudinal data, post-traumatic stress symptoms, response surface analysis",

author = "Asuman Buyukcan-Tetik and Lara Seefeld and Luisa Bergunde and Ergun, \{Turan Deniz\} and Pelin Dikmen-Yildiz and Antje Horsch and Susan Garthus-Niegel and Mirjam Oosterman and Joan Lalor and Tobias Weigl and Annick Bogaerts and \{Van Haeken\}, Sarah and Soo Downe and Susan Ayers",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Author(s). British Journal of Health Psychology published by John Wiley \& Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.",

year = "2024",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1111/bjhp.12738",

language = "English",

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pages = "925--942",

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Buyukcan-Tetik, A, Seefeld, L, Bergunde, L, Ergun, TD, Dikmen-Yildiz, P, Horsch, A, Garthus-Niegel, S, Oosterman, M, Lalor, J, Weigl, T, Bogaerts, A, Van Haeken, S, Downe, S & Ayers, S 2024, 'Birth expectations, birth experiences and childbirth-related post-traumatic stress symptoms in mothers and birth companions:', British Journal of Health Psychology, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 925-942. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12738

TY - JOUR

T1 - Birth expectations, birth experiences and childbirth-related post-traumatic stress symptoms in mothers and birth companions:

AU - Buyukcan-Tetik, Asuman

AU - Seefeld, Lara

AU - Bergunde, Luisa

AU - Ergun, Turan Deniz

AU - Dikmen-Yildiz, Pelin

AU - Horsch, Antje

AU - Garthus-Niegel, Susan

AU - Oosterman, Mirjam

AU - Lalor, Joan

AU - Weigl, Tobias

AU - Bogaerts, Annick

AU - Van Haeken, Sarah

AU - Downe, Soo

AU - Ayers, Susan

PY - 2024/11

Y1 - 2024/11

N2 - OBJECTIVES: During the perinatal period, women and their birth companions form expectations about childbirth. We aimed to examine whether a mismatch between birth expectations and experiences predict childbirth-related post-traumatic stress symptoms (CB-PTSS) for mothers and birth companions. We also explored the influence of the mismatch between mothers' and birth companions' expectations/experiences on CB-PTSS.DESIGN: Dyadic longitudinal data from the Self-Hypnosis IntraPartum Trial.METHODS: Participants (n = 469 mothers; n = 358 birth companions) completed questionnaires at 27 and 36 weeks of gestation and 2 and 6 weeks post-partum. We used the measures of birth expectations (36 weeks gestation), birth experiences (2 weeks post-partum) and CB-PTSS (6 weeks post-partum).RESULTS: Correlations revealed that birth expectations were associated with experiences for both mothers and birth companions but were not consistently associated with CB-PTSS. Birth experiences related to CB-PTSS for both mothers and birth companions. The response surface analysis results showed no support for the effect of a mismatch between expectations and experiences on CB-PTSS in mothers or birth companions. Similarly, a mismatch between mothers' and birth companions' expectations or experiences was unrelated to CB-PTSS.CONCLUSIONS: Following previous literature, birth expectations were associated with experiences, and experiences were associated with CB-PTSS. By testing the effect of the match between birth experiences and expectations using an advanced statistical method, we found that experiences play a more substantial role than the match between experiences and expectations in CB-PTSS. The impact of birth experiences on CB-PTSS highlights the importance of respectful and supportive maternity care.

AB - OBJECTIVES: During the perinatal period, women and their birth companions form expectations about childbirth. We aimed to examine whether a mismatch between birth expectations and experiences predict childbirth-related post-traumatic stress symptoms (CB-PTSS) for mothers and birth companions. We also explored the influence of the mismatch between mothers' and birth companions' expectations/experiences on CB-PTSS.DESIGN: Dyadic longitudinal data from the Self-Hypnosis IntraPartum Trial.METHODS: Participants (n = 469 mothers; n = 358 birth companions) completed questionnaires at 27 and 36 weeks of gestation and 2 and 6 weeks post-partum. We used the measures of birth expectations (36 weeks gestation), birth experiences (2 weeks post-partum) and CB-PTSS (6 weeks post-partum).RESULTS: Correlations revealed that birth expectations were associated with experiences for both mothers and birth companions but were not consistently associated with CB-PTSS. Birth experiences related to CB-PTSS for both mothers and birth companions. The response surface analysis results showed no support for the effect of a mismatch between expectations and experiences on CB-PTSS in mothers or birth companions. Similarly, a mismatch between mothers' and birth companions' expectations or experiences was unrelated to CB-PTSS.CONCLUSIONS: Following previous literature, birth expectations were associated with experiences, and experiences were associated with CB-PTSS. By testing the effect of the match between birth experiences and expectations using an advanced statistical method, we found that experiences play a more substantial role than the match between experiences and expectations in CB-PTSS. The impact of birth experiences on CB-PTSS highlights the importance of respectful and supportive maternity care.

KW - birth expectations

KW - birth experiences

KW - dyadic analysis

KW - longitudinal data

KW - post-traumatic stress symptoms

KW - response surface analysis

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85197227611

U2 - 10.1111/bjhp.12738

DO - 10.1111/bjhp.12738

M3 - Article

C2 - 38926081

SN - 1359-107X

VL - 29

SP - 925

EP - 942

JO - British Journal of Health Psychology

JF - British Journal of Health Psychology

IS - 4

ER -

Birth expectations, birth experiences and childbirth-related post-traumatic stress symptoms in mothers and birth companions:

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

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