Working Through PTSD After a Traumatic Birth Injury
You have no idea why it happened, but you have noticed that you haven’t quite been the same after giving birth to your child.
You find yourself experiencing severe anxiety when you think about your child being born, and maybe you feel your mood has changed for the worse. Childbirth is supposed to be a joyous occasion, isn’t it?
If this sounds familiar, it might be time to speak with a birth injury lawyer.
Why?
Because you might be experiencing PTSD as a result of your childbirth experience. When people think of birth injury, they tend to focus on physical issues that occur from childbirth. As a matter of fact, physical injuries are some of the most common types of birth injury.
Mental issues that arise from childbirth can be difficult to define, and PTSD isn’t always easy to diagnose. Not only that, it can be a challenge to figure out what caused PTSD in the first place.
In this post, you will learn…
- What traumatic birth is.
- The symptoms of maternal post-traumatic stress disorder.
- What causes maternal post-traumatic stress disorder.
If you think it’s possible that you’re dealing with maternal post-traumatic stress disorder, it’s best to speak with a birth injury lawyer who can help.
What Is A Traumatic Birth?
A traumatic birth occurs when you suffer distress or trauma while delivering your child. It can happen when there is a complication or other troubling event that occurs during the course of childbirth and can also occur as a result of an injury to yourself or your child.
In many cases, a traumatic birth may not have any long-lasting effects. In other cases, it can cause issues that can affect you over the long term. There could be physical injuries such as infections or incontinence.
However, a traumatic event can also cause mental or emotional problems. There are several types of events that can cause emotional problems.
You might feel as if you were mistreated by your doctor or the hospital staff.
It could also happen as the result of an injury to your child, and if your doctor took an action that caused injury to your child, this can affect you in a way that creates emotional scars.
Here’s an example.
In some cases, women have reported that they were aggressively pressured into undergoing an unneeded caesarean operation by their doctors. When a person in authority, such as a doctor or nurse is aggressive with a woman who is delivering a child, it can cause undue stress and pressure. There have been many situations where women are pushed to agree to an operation they may not need.
There are also cases where a woman might be refused food and drink by the hospital staff. Along with C-sections, they can also be pressured to deliver the baby within a certain period of time. The amount of stress these women go through can have long-lasting effects, and it can affect your personal and professional life.
What Is Maternal Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Maternal post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental condition that can result from traumatic events that occur during childbirth. It happens when you have a dramatic change in your behavior because of childbirth, and it’s estimated that 1% to 6% of women experience PTSD as a result of childbirth.
PTSD is a very serious issue. Most people who experience PTSD tend to recover from it. But, in some cases, it can take months or even years.
One of the most helpful things to do if you have PTSD is to seek help from a mental health professional. Depending on the severity of your condition, it might be necessary to take medication that can help you deal with any flare-ups.
A common mistake that many people make is confusing postpartum depression with post-traumatic stress disorder. But, there are differences. The symptoms of PTSD are markedly different from postpartum depression.
Symptoms Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
The impact of traumatic birth is different for each woman. Each person exhibits different symptoms. The best way to find out if you’re dealing with PTSD is to speak with a mental health professional.
Here are some of the more common symptoms you might be experiencing:
- Reliving the labor or birth.
- Difficulties in relationships.
- Issues with bonding with your baby.
- Lack of interest in sex.
- Panic attacks.
- Nightmares about the birth.
- Suicidal thoughts.
There may be other symptoms as well. If any of these apply to you, and you believe they’re a result of childbirth, you might be dealing with maternal PTSD.
What Causes Maternal PTSD?
Maternal PTSD is caused by a wide variety of different events. These can have nothing to do with the negligence of your doctor or hospital staff, and they sometimes happen due to events that nobody can control.
Here are some of the events that can cause maternal PTSD:
- Unplanned C-Section
- Your child having to go to NICU.
- Lack of support throughout the delivery.
- Prolapsed cord.
- A stressful delivery.
- Postpartum hemorrhage.
- Perineal trauma.
Women who have had endured previous traumatic events are at a higher risk of experiencing PTSD. These types of events can include rape or sexual assault.
Do You Need A Birth Injury Lawyer?
While maternal PTSD can happen because of “natural” events, they can also be caused by your doctor. If your doctor made mistakes in how he facilitated the delivery of your child, he could be held liable for medical malpractice.
If course, you would need to prove that your doctor was negligent. Negligence can be difficult to prove in medical malpractice cases, but it depends on the circumstances.
If the actions of your doctor directly or indirectly caused the events that traumatized you, there might be grounds for a lawsuit. It’s very important that you know what the law says about medical malpractice in the state of New York.
The most beneficial action you can take is speaking with an attorney who can let you know whether or not you have a case, and if you’re looking for a birth injury lawyer, The Law Offices of Joseph M. Lichtenstein has helped many clients get the compensation they need. Contact us today for your free consultation.