title: Mothers' response to psychological birth trauma: a qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychologically traumatic events can affect anybody, but consequences of psychological birth trauma for the mother are very profound, extensive and unforgettable. Furthermore, the mother's response not only touches the mother, but also affects the child, the father and the society. The objective of this study was to explore the mothers' response to psychological birth trauma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Psychological birth trauma is a complex matter as the length of a women`s life and mother`s responds can be present through different psychological and physical ways. In this regard, the mothers suffer from its consequences, but they do not know what is going on? Mothers are getting worse every day by "the silent effects of the psychological phenomena".
  
  
  METHODS
  This qualitative study was conducted on 23 mothers with psychological birth trauma experience, who were recruited from health centers of the capital and one of the metropolises of Iran. Their interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by the content analysis method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  THREE THEMES WERE EXTRACTED FROM THE DATA: impact on health, changes in mother`s roles, and changes decision making ability. Several categories and sub-categories also emerged from the data (physical and psychological problems, bonding with the child, relationship with husband, social role, cesarean request and psychological inability to have another child).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By considering the mothers` responses to traumatic labor, which endangers the health of the child as well as that of the mother and impairs their familial and social relationships, midwives should notice the consequences of psychological birth trauma in order to plan supportive and timely interventions.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Faculty Member of Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Nursing and Midwifery School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Ziba
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Taghizadeh
authors.affiliation: Nursing and midwifery Care Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Irajpour
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry and psychology research center, Roozbeh hospital Department of Psychiatry,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arbabi
keywords: Mother’s Response; Qualitative Research; Traumatic Labor