Women’s postpartum mental health in Israel after terror: childbirth-related trauma following the October 7 attack

Key Points

• To explore the effect of terror on women's mental health during the postpartum period, focusing on childbirth-related trauma.
• Analyzed mental health symptoms in postpartum women after a major terror attack.
• Examined symptoms of PTSD related to childbirth experiences in the context of war.
• Conducted qualitative assessments of women's emotional responses to both childbirth and the attack.
• Increased incidence of PTSD symptoms related to childbirth noted among women after the attack.
• Women reported trauma experienced during childbirth was exacerbated by the terror context.
• Psychological distress in postpartum women was significantly linked to the collective trauma of the community.