In 2018, the World Health Organization highlighted the problem of abusive and disrespectful care during childbirth. This is a global problem, and the downstream effects include higher rates of postnatal depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premature breastfeeding cessation. In the 'U.S. Listening to Mothers II' survey, the percentage of women who met full criteria for PTSD after birth was higher than it was for people in Lower Manhattan following September 11th. Recent studies from countries outside the U.S. (e.g., Belgium, Turkey, Australia, and Iran) have found that birth trauma is common in those countries as well.
Health inequities, especially based on race and ethnicity, are also rife in maternity care. For example, black women giving birth in the state of California are four times more likely to die than their white counterparts. What is happening during their experiences in maternity care that causes these inequities? Researchers have hypotheses, but the topic requires further study.
Another aspect of birth is its effects on the postnatal experience. The postnatal period is difficult in many parts of the world, often due to a lack of support. But do birth experiences impact mothers’ postnatal mental health and early breastfeeding experiences? Moreover, do hospital experiences impact breastfeeding duration?
Fortunately, negative birth experiences are not inevitable. It’s possible to study what is going right. In countries where there is continuous labor support and birth is considered a normal physiological event, rates of birth-related PTSD, depression, and anxiety are substantially lower. Breastfeeding initiation rates are higher, and breastfeeding is more likely to continue. What are these countries doing in their care that is working well for women? Are continuous labor support and a midwifery model of care essential to the health and well-being of mothers and infants? And what are the barriers to implementing this type of care in other places?
The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a forum for outlining the problems in worldwide maternity and postnatal care, and to propose models for improving that care. We welcome research articles that either
• Expose traumatic childbirth and implicit biases in maternal care,
• Explore the effect on postnatal experiences, such as breastfeeding or mental health
• Describe programs seeking to lower rates of the above
We welcome original research and both qualitative and quantitative systematic reviews or meta-analyses. We want this to serve as a forum to bring these areas of research together and develop a model for change.
In 2018, the World Health Organization highlighted the problem of abusive and disrespectful care during childbirth. This is a global problem, and the downstream effects include higher rates of postnatal depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premature breastfeeding cessation. In the 'U.S. Listening to Mothers II' survey, the percentage of women who met full criteria for PTSD after birth was higher than it was for people in Lower Manhattan following September 11th. Recent studies from countries outside the U.S. (e.g., Belgium, Turkey, Australia, and Iran) have found that birth trauma is common in those countries as well.
Health inequities, especially based on race and ethnicity, are also rife in maternity care. For example, black women giving birth in the state of California are four times more likely to die than their white counterparts. What is happening during their experiences in maternity care that causes these inequities? Researchers have hypotheses, but the topic requires further study.
Another aspect of birth is its effects on the postnatal experience. The postnatal period is difficult in many parts of the world, often due to a lack of support. But do birth experiences impact mothers’ postnatal mental health and early breastfeeding experiences? Moreover, do hospital experiences impact breastfeeding duration?
Fortunately, negative birth experiences are not inevitable. It’s possible to study what is going right. In countries where there is continuous labor support and birth is considered a normal physiological event, rates of birth-related PTSD, depression, and anxiety are substantially lower. Breastfeeding initiation rates are higher, and breastfeeding is more likely to continue. What are these countries doing in their care that is working well for women? Are continuous labor support and a midwifery model of care essential to the health and well-being of mothers and infants? And what are the barriers to implementing this type of care in other places?
The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a forum for outlining the problems in worldwide maternity and postnatal care, and to propose models for improving that care. We welcome research articles that either
• Expose traumatic childbirth and implicit biases in maternal care,
• Explore the effect on postnatal experiences, such as breastfeeding or mental health
• Describe programs seeking to lower rates of the above
We welcome original research and both qualitative and quantitative systematic reviews or meta-analyses. We want this to serve as a forum to bring these areas of research together and develop a model for change.
