Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Dec;26(12):2362-2369.
doi: 10.1007/s10995-022-03518-y. Epub 2022 Nov 8.

Trauma-Informed Care for Obstetric and Gynecologic Settings

Sarah Nagle-Yang  1 , Jyoti Sachdeva  2 , Lulu X Zhao  3 , Neeta Shenai  4 , Nicole Shirvani  5 , Linda L M Worley  6 , Priya Gopalan  4 , Elizabeth S Albertini  7 , Meredith Spada  4 , Leena Mittal  8 , Tiffany A Moore Simas  9 , Nancy Byatt  10
Affiliations

Trauma-Informed Care for Obstetric and Gynecologic Settings

Sarah Nagle-Yang et al. Matern Child Health J. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: Trauma is common among those seeking Ob-Gyn care and may have pervasive impact on obstetrical and gynecological health, social functioning, and healthcare engagement. While guidelines exist on the detection and treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders within Ob-Gyn care, the role of Ob-gyn clinicians in identifying and addressing patients' traumatic experiences and related symptoms is less clearly delineated. This manuscript provides an overview of trauma-related symptoms in the context of Ob-Gyn care and practical guidance of clinicians aiming to improve their detection and response to trauma in their clinical practice.

Description: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) describes a psychiatric illness which develops as a response to a traumatic event. Women who have experienced trauma are also at increased risk for borderline personality disorder and other psychiatric comorbidities. Postpartum PTSD has particular relevance to obstetrical care.

Assessment: Screening for trauma in Ob-Gyn care can provide an opportunity to address risk and offer targeted intervention. Several brief evidence-based screening tools are available. Individuals who screen positive require assessment of immediate safety and targeted referrals. Trauma informed care describes an approach to healthcare aimed to enhance physical and emotional safety for patients and clinicians.

Conclusion: Given the prevalence and the potentially devastating and enduring impact of trauma and trauma-related symptoms, there is a critical need to address trauma within Ob-Gyn care. By recognizing the signs of trauma and initiating or referring to appropriate treatments, Ob-Gyn clinicians have a unique opportunity to better understand their patients and to improve their care.

Keywords: PTSD; Screening; Trauma; Trauma informed care.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Abuse, S. (2014). Mental Health Services Administration. Trauma-informed care in behavioral health services.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
    1. ACOG Committee Opinion No (2018). 757: Screening for Perinatal Depression.Obstetrics & Gynecology, 132(5),e208–e212. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000002927
    1. American Psychiatric Association (Ed.). (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. American Psychiatric Association
    1. Basson, R., & Gilks, T. (2018). Women’s sexual dysfunction associated with psychiatric disorders and their treatment. Women’s Health, 14, 1745506518762664
    1. Byatt, N., Biebel, K., Lundquist, R. S., Simas, M., Debordes-Jackson, T. A., Allison, G., J., & Ziedonis, D. (2012). Patient, provider, and system-level barriers and facilitators to addressing perinatal depression. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 30(5), 436–449 - DOI

LinkOut - more resources