OBJECTIVE: To estimate the long-term psychological impact of severe postpartum hemorrhage in women whose uterus was preserved. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University-affiliated tertiary referral center. POPULATION: All consecutive women who underwent embolization for postpartum hemorrhage between 1994 and 2007 and whose uterus was preserved were included. METHODS: Data were retrieved from medical files and semi-structured telephone interviews. In semi-structured interviews, women were asked about their perceptions and memories of the experience. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Perceptions and memories of the postpartum hemorrhage during and after delivery. RESULTS: Follow-up was successful for 68 of the 91 (74.7%) women included. Of the 46 (67.6%) who reported negative memories of the delivery and postpartum period, the main memory for 24 was a fear of dying (35.3%). Of the 28 (41.2%) who reported continued repercussions, 16 (23.5%) thought about this delivery and its complications at least once a month, five (7.3%) reported persistent fear of dying, four (5.9%) reported sexual problems, and three (4.4%) women considered that the event was, at least in part, responsible for their subsequent divorce. Of the 15 women who had a subsequent full-term pregnancy, nine (60%) reported intense anxiety throughout the pregnancy, and one (6.7%) developed depression requiring antidepressant treatment during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Severe postpartum hemorrhage may have a long-term psychological impact on women despite uterine preservation.
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the long-term psychological impact of severe postpartum hemorrhage in women whose uterus was preserved. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University-affiliated tertiary referral center. POPULATION: All consecutive women who underwent embolization for postpartum hemorrhage between 1994 and 2007 and whose uterus was preserved were included. METHODS: Data were retrieved from medical files and semi-structured telephone interviews. In semi-structured interviews, women were asked about their perceptions and memories of the experience. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Perceptions and memories of the postpartum hemorrhage during and after delivery. RESULTS: Follow-up was successful for 68 of the 91 (74.7%) women included. Of the 46 (67.6%) who reported negative memories of the delivery and postpartum period, the main memory for 24 was a fear of dying (35.3%). Of the 28 (41.2%) who reported continued repercussions, 16 (23.5%) thought about this delivery and its complications at least once a month, five (7.3%) reported persistent fear of dying, four (5.9%) reported sexual problems, and three (4.4%) women considered that the event was, at least in part, responsible for their subsequent divorce. Of the 15 women who had a subsequent full-term pregnancy, nine (60%) reported intense anxiety throughout the pregnancy, and one (6.7%) developed depression requiring antidepressant treatment during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Severe postpartum hemorrhage may have a long-term psychological impact on women despite uterine preservation.
Authors: Sarah F Bell; Rachel E Collis; Philip Pallmann; Christopher Bailey; Kathryn James; Miriam John; Kevin Kelly; Thomas Kitchen; Cerys Scarr; Adam Watkins; Tracey Edey; Elinore Macgillivray; Kathryn Greaves; Ingrid Volikas; James Tozer; Niladri Sengupta; Iolo Roberts; Claire Francis; Peter W Collins Journal: BMC Pregnancy Childbirth Date: 2021-05-15 Impact factor: 3.007
Authors: Clara Calvert; Sara L Thomas; Carine Ronsmans; Karen S Wagner; Alma J Adler; Veronique Filippi Journal: PLoS One Date: 2012-07-23 Impact factor: 3.240