ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2025
Exploring the experience of birth trauma from the midwife's perspective.
Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- The Weight of the First Year: The Impact of Negative Experiences for Early-Career Nurses and Midwives-A Long-Term Risk for Trauma, Burnout and Professional Attrition.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2026Article
- Association between workload, compassion fatigue and presenteeism among maternal and newborn health professionals: the moderated role of self-compassion.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Exploring the strategies used by managers to support midwives experiencing adverse events in a selected district of Gauteng province.Health SA = SA Gesondheid · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundChildbirth is a complex process, and midwives involved in assisting or witnessing it often experience psychological trauma, which can impact their well-being and professional performance. Psychological trauma in midwives is under-researched, despite its implications for their mental health and the quality of childbirth services. Addressing this issue is critical for ensuring safe and compassionate care. This study aimed to explore the psychological trauma experienced by midwives during childbirth and identify key influencing factors to enhance the safety and humanization of childbirth services.
methodsThis descriptive qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with 13 midwives selected based on preset criteria. Data were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis framework, and thematic analysis was applied to identify recurring themes from the data.
resultsFour primary themes emerged from the data. First, midwives reported persistent emotional trauma, including ongoing fear, guilt, and self-blame associated with traumatic childbirth experiences. Second, they faced multifaceted professional challenges, including high expectations and systemic pressures. Emotional exhaustion was more closely associated with persistent trauma and vicarious exposure, as reflected in other themes. Third, participants described feelings of helplessness and powerlessness when managing critical or life-threatening situations. Fourth, vicarious trauma was common, stemming from deep empathy and emotional engagement with laboring women and their families.
conclusionStrategies to address these challenges include strengthening midwives' psychological resilience and professional competencies, optimizing team collaboration, and enhancing psychological and emotional support. Implementing these measures can safeguard the mental health of midwives, promote humanistic care, and improve childbirth safety.
trial registrationChiCTR2400088104 August 12th, 2024.
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