Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35083966›Full record

ReviewJournal of reproductive and infant psychology2023

Measuring post-traumatic stress after childbirth: a review and critical appraisal of instruments.

Meagan E Williams, Donna M Strobino, Charvonne N Holliday

Open access · greenAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of reproductive and infant psychology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 18% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Guideline
  3. Psychometric properties of self-reported measures of psychological birth trauma in puerperae: A COSMIN systematic review.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2025
    Pooled it
  4. Observational
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Meagan E WilliamsDepartment of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Donna M StrobinoDepartment of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Charvonne N HollidayDepartment of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Johns Hopkins University · US

Funding

NIMHD NIH HHS L60 MD012089
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAddressing psychological trauma after childbirth requires accurate measurement of its prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes using validated instruments that distinguish perceptions of traumatic birth, subclinical post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms, and symptoms meeting a diagnostic threshold.

objectiveThe purpose of this study was to review literature on psychological trauma following childbirth and appraise instruments that measure postpartum PTS.

methodsIn January 2020, the authors searched for and evaluated peer-reviewed studies that quantitatively measured PTS following hospital-based live births in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland; 37 articles were selected and evaluated.

resultsLevels of post-traumatic stress disorder were most commonly measured, followed by PTS symptoms. Diagnostic instruments suggested lower PTS prevalence estimates than those screening for or assessing PTS symptoms. Community samples yielded lower prevalence estimates than samples recruited from the internet or settings specifically addressing mental health. Measurement sooner after birth yielded higher estimates.

conclusionStudy design, sample characteristics, instruments, and timing of measurements likely impact postpartum PTS prevalence estimates. Variation in these characteristics make it difficult to draw conclusions on the prevalence of postpartum PTS. Researchers should consider the appraisal of measurement tools presented here and use rigorous study methodology when studying traumatic birth experiences and evaluating interventions.

Indexed as

ParturitionStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticDelivery, ObstetricFemaleHumansPostpartum PeriodPregnancyResearch Designbirth traumachildbirthmeasurementpostpartumPosttraumatic stresstraumatic birth

Identifiers

PMID35083966
PMCPMC9325923
OpenAlexW4210294643

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.