SynthesisPloS one2019
Healing The Past By Nurturing The Future: A qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis of pregnancy, birth and early postpartum experiences and views of parents with a history of childhood maltreatment.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma and parenting stress: an individual participant data meta-analysis.European journal of psychotraumatology · 2025Pooled it
- Mobile Health Interventions for Modifying Indigenous Maternal and Child-Health Related Behaviors: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Pooled it
- Breaking the cycle: Systematic review of perinatal interventions for parents at risk of child removal.PloS one · 2025Pooled it
- Key dimensions of women's and their partners' experiences of childbirth: A systematic review of reviews of qualitative studies.PloS one · 2024Pooled it
- Interventions from pregnancy to two years after birth for parents experiencing complex post-traumatic stress disorder and/or with childhood experience of maltreatment.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- From childhood to adult trauma and negative birth experiences: distal and proximal factors associated with childbirth-related posttraumatic stress symptoms.European journal of psychotraumatology · 2026Article
- "Desperate not to make the same mistakes": Couple adjustment to parenthood in the context of childhood maltreatment.Infant mental health journal · 2026Article
- Factors influencing the adjustment of pregnant nurses in continuing to provide nursing care: a qualitative content analysis.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Empowering women through trauma-informed maternity care: the EMPATHY framework.Frontiers in global women's health · 2025Article
- 'It gives me purpose': stories shared by Aboriginal mothers and their perspectives on nurturing resilience.Australian journal of psychology · 2025Article
- Peripartum dissociation, sense of control, postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder and emotional adjustment to motherhood in adult survivors of childhood maltreatment.Archives of women's mental health · 2024Article
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Complex Trauma and Strengths Questionnaire: psychometric evaluation.Australian journal of psychology · 2024Article
- The use of GRADE-CERQual in qualitative evidence synthesis: an evaluation of fidelity and reporting.Health research policy and systems · 2023Article
- Benevolent Childhood Experiences and Childhood Maltreatment History: Examining their Roles in Depressive Symptoms Across the Peripartum Period.Adversity and resilience science · 2022Article
- Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families to Stay Together from the Start (SAFeST Start): Urgent call to action to address crisis in infant removals.The Australian journal of social issues · 2022Article
- Article
- Adversity in Infancy and Childhood Cognitive Development: Evidence From Four Developing Countries.International journal of public health · 2022Article
- Healing the Past by Nurturing the Future: Aboriginal parents' views of what helps support recovery from complex trauma.Primary health care research & development · 2021Article
- Reported maternal childhood maltreatment experiences, amygdala activation and functional connectivity to infant cry.Social cognitive and affective neuroscience · 2021Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundChild maltreatment can have serious effects on development and physical, social and emotional wellbeing. Any long-lasting relational effects can impede the capacity to nurture children, potentially leading to 'intergenerational trauma'. Conversely, the transition to parenthood during pregnancy, birth and the early postpartum period offers a unique life-course opportunity for healing. This systematic review aims to understand the pregnancy, birth and early postpartum experiences of parents who reported maltreatment in their own childhood.
methodsA protocol, based on the ENTREQ statement, was registered with PROSPERO. We searched Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE, NHS Evidence and key Web of Science databases from date of inception to June 2018 to identify qualitative studies exploring perinatal experiences of parents who were maltreated in their own childhood. Two reviewers independently screened articles for inclusion and extracted data. Data were synthesised using grounded theory and thematic analysis approaches.
findingsThe search yielded 18329 articles, 568 full text articles were reviewed, and 50 studies (60 articles) met inclusion criteria for this review. Due to the large number of studies across the whole perinatal period (pregnancy to two years postpartum), this paper reports findings for experiences during pregnancy, birth and early postpartum (27 studies). Parents described positive experiences and strategies to help them achieve their hopes and dreams of providing safe, loving and nurturing care for their children. However, many parents experienced serious challenges. Seven core analytic themes encapsulated these diverse and dynamic experiences: New beginnings; Changing roles and identities; Feeling connected; Compassionate care; Empowerment; Creating safety; and Reweaving a future.
conclusionsPregnancy birth and the early postpartum period is a unique life-course healing opportunity for parents with a history of maltreatment. Understanding parent's experiences and views of perinatal care and early parenting is critical for informing the development of acceptable and effective support strategies.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.