Mistreatment during delivery can cause lasting trauma

An often-silent contributor to adverse maternal mental health in the U.S. is the mistreatment of women during pregnancy and delivery by health care workers. Researchers have correlated mistreatment with an increased likelihood of dangerous delivery complications; it also can affect a mother's mental health and lead to childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder. A 2023 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found 20% of U.S. mothers reported being ignored, threatened, forced to accept treatment they did not consent to, physically abused or mistreated by their providers during pregnancy and delivery. The rates are closer to 33% among those who are Black, Hispanic, multiracial and those who have public insurance or no insurance. Mistreatment also can result in mothers’ hesitation to receive subsequent health care. (The Hill article, 5/28/24)