Post‐traumatic stress disorder in the perinatal period: A concept analysis

Aims and objectives To report an analysis of the concept of perinatal post‐traumatic stress disorder. Background Prevalence of perinatal post‐traumatic stress disorder is rising in the USA, with 9% of the U.S. perinatal population diagnosed with the disorder and an additional 18% being at risk for the condition. Left untreated, adverse maternal–child outcomes result in increased morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. Design Concept analysis via Walker and Avant's approach. Methods The databases Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline, Academic Search Premier and PsychINFO were searched for articles, written in English, published between 2006–2015, containing the terms perinatal and post‐traumatic stress disorder. Results Perinatal post‐traumatic stress disorder owns unique attributes, antecedents and outcomes when compared to post‐traumatic stress disorder in other contexts, and may be defined as a disorder arising after a traumatic experience, diagnosed any time from conception to 6 months postpartum, lasting longer than 1 month, leading to specific negative maternal symptoms and poor maternal–infant outcomes. Attributes include a diagnostic time frame (conception to 6 months postpartum), harmful prior or current trauma and specific diagnostic symptomatology defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition. Antecedents were identified as trauma (perinatal complications and abuse), postpartum depression and previous psychiatric history. Consequences comprised adverse maternal–infant outcomes. Conclusions Further research on perinatal post‐traumatic stress disorder antecedents, attributes and outcomes in ethnically diverse populations may provide clinicians a more comprehensive framework for identifying and treating perinatal post‐traumatic stress disorder. Relevance to clinical practice Nurses are encouraged to increase their awareness of perinatal post‐traumatic stress disorder for early assessment and intervention, and prevention of adverse maternal–infant outcomes.