Pregnancy complications can affect mental health long after birth
New research from INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, highlights the long-term psychological impact of pregnancy and birth complications, calling for more compassionate, woman-centred maternity care.
For many women, recovery after pregnancy or birth complications extends far beyond physical healing.
A new qualitative study from researchers at the INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, has found that women who experience serious complications during pregnancy or childbirth can continue to face significant emotional and psychological challenges for years afterwards.
The research, published in Women and Birth, explored the experiences of women across Ireland who had experienced a range of pregnancy and birth complications. Through in-depth interviews, the researchers sought to better understand the long-term impact these experiences had on women’s mental health and wellbeing.
The emotional impact doesn’t always end after birth
While many women recover physically, participants described how anxiety, fear and emotional distress often remained long after they had left hospital.
One participant reflected:
“I don’t think I’ll ever come off anxiety medication now.”
Others spoke about living with uncertainty, losing confidence in their own bodies, and feeling anxious about future pregnancies.
Many women also described feeling isolated during their recovery, particularly once they returned home, where emotional support was often limited despite the ongoing psychological impact of their experiences.
Feeling heard matters
A consistent theme throughout the research was the importance of communication.
Women valued healthcare professionals who listened, explained what was happening clearly and acknowledged the emotional impact of what they had experienced.
Where communication was poor, participants described feeling confused, unsupported or left with unanswered questions that continued to affect them long after giving birth.
The researchers suggest that relatively small improvements in communication, follow-up care and access to psychological support could make a meaningful difference to women’s recovery.
Supporting women beyond delivery
The findings highlight the need to view recovery from pregnancy complications as more than physical healing.
Ensuring women receive compassionate communication, appropriate information and ongoing emotional support may help reduce longer-term psychological distress and improve experiences of maternity care.
By listening directly to women’s experiences, the study provides valuable insights that can help inform future maternity services and improve care for women and families across Ireland.
About the research
The study was led by Dr Elizabeth Bodunde in collaboration with Prof Ali Khashan, Dr Karen O’Connor, Prof Fergus McCarthy and Dr Karen Matvienko-Sikar at the INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork.
The research has been published in Women and Birth.
Read the paper: https://lnkd.in/dWrPS-ZS