Understanding PTSD in Pregnant Women

Emotional turbulence is one of the major factors that govern how a woman will see this pregnancy in the long term. PTSD affects millions of people worldwide, but women experience it differently than men due to biological, psychological, and social factors. 

According to a study, women experience PTSD twice as likely as men. This indicates how prevalent is it for a woman to experience mental health disorders. 3.6% of pregnant women experience postpartum PTSD with a history of verbal abuse as one of the major factors.

Understanding how to recognize this condition can help you or your loved one to get appropriate treatment and better support.

Effects of PTSD on Pregnancy

In addition to deteriorated mental health, PTSD in pregnant women can affect how her functions and might impact fetal development.

• Increased stress levels

If a woman has a history of pregnancy-related stress, PTSD amplifies and haunts her at every step of the process. An increase in cortisol affects fetal development causing various complications in pregnancy and can lead to preterm birth, preeclampsia, or low birth weight.

• Obstacles in Prenatal Care

PTSD in pregnant women can lead to a constant fear of something bad happening to themselves or their babies and often live in “what-if scenarios”. They avoid doctor visits, fear medicines, lack exercise, and often struggle with bonding with the baby as it reminds the woman of her bad days.

• High Chances of postpartum depression

1 in 7 women experiences postpartum depression in the United States. Women with traumatic births often fall for postpartum depression and PTSD making the situation worse. Nightmares, emotional numbness, and feeling detached are some of the common symptoms.

How PTSD Affects Childbirth and Labor

While thought of delivering a child scare most women, trauma can add to this fear negatively affecting childbirth and labor.

• Increased fear and anxiety

Pregnancy and labor are painful. But for women with PTSD, it might turn into a lifetime nightmare. This can cause a heightened fear, sensitivity to doctors and medicines, a constant worry about the labor and hence, making labor more painful.

• Struggle with attachment to the newborn

Emotional numbness and fear of losing the child can cause a detachment with the child embracing the failures, and connecting with the child on a deeper level. Flashbacks, panic attacks, anxiety- all can occur at the same time.

• Extreme or no pain sensations during labor

Emotional numbness can also lead to heightened physical pain or no pain during labor. This is often caused by stressing too much about past events and having no time to process emotions. Women can also struggle to be involved in the labor process and is often a result of PTSD. 

Coping Strategies and Treatment Options

PTSD in pregnant women is highly subjective according to her past experiences, the intention behind the pregnancy, and how she views the process. In any case, these are certain strategies that can help create a better experience for the woman.

• Therapy

Trauma-focused therapy like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) can help process emotions and manage emotional distress. Also, working with a therapist experienced in perinatal mental health can address pregnancy-related fears and trauma and help you with useful techniques to cope with this.

• Prenatal-specific exercises

Gentle prenatal yoga helps reduce stress, relax your body, and improve flexibility helpful in labor. Deep breathing and mindfulness exercises help regulate emotions and prepare for childbirth along with low-impact workouts like walking and swimming that can boost mood and reduce anxiety.

• Like-minded community

Joining PTSD or pregnancy-related support groups (online or in-person) can help women feel less isolated. Talking to other women with similar experiences fosters emotional support and understanding. Educating close ones about PTSD ensures a supportive and stress-free environment.

Seeking Support and Advocacy

Something more useful and important than the right treatment is the support you get during the journey. Giving birth to a child is itself a hard process and PTSD just makes it harder. Here are some ways you can get the necessary support during the process.

• Have people by your side

Half of the battles are won when you know people support you in your decisions and always help you get out of the crises. Your parents, siblings, friends, and mentors, once understand your concern, they try their best to help you out. Seek regular support, spend more time with them, and make memories that last forever while enjoying the new pregnancy stage.

• Choosing a comfortable gynecologist 

Choose a person who truly understands you, your past and all of your concerns related to this child and your concerns. A gynecologist stays with the mother for a lifetime and is more than just for delivering the baby. Prenatal care, understanding your unique problems, postpartum- the entire process is laid by this person and hence, she should be someone you trust without fail.

• Become self-aware 

For you to understand that you are dealing with PTSD, you need to observe your actions and make critical deductions as to why you are behaving the way you are. You need to  so that you can deal with it without having any pregnancy complications

How Avisa Recovery can help you

Avisa Recovery provides innovative PTSD treatment in NJ, adopting a distinctive methodology. Our comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and integrated drug rehabilitation program is designed to empower individuals in conquering addiction and addressing its root causes. We are committed to delivering cost-effective, long-term support to our valued clients.

We understand that every woman needs a personalized approach to a treatment and especially when we are talking about PTSD in pregnant women, this becomes a non-negotiable. We, at Avisa Recovery, create a customized plan for recovering your mental health and get you in the best mental shape before you start a new life with the newborn.

You can reach out to our team for any assistance throughout the process and we are here to help you out.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Can you get PTSD while pregnant?
A. Yes, PTSD can develop or worsen during pregnancy due to past trauma, medical fears, or high stress.

Q. How to self-treat PTSD?
A. Yes, PTSD can develop or worsen during pregnancy due to past trauma, medical fears, or high stress.

Q. What does PTSD look like in a woman?
A. Women with PTSD may experience anxiety, emotional numbness, flashbacks, avoidance behaviors, and difficulty trusting others.

Q. What happens when PTSD is left untreated?
A. Untreated PTSD can lead to chronic anxiety, depression, substance abuse, relationship struggles, and worsening physical health.

Q. What happens to the brain with PTSD?
A. PTSD alters brain function, increasing activity in the amygdala (fear center) while reducing the prefrontal cortex’s ability to regulate emotions.