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  • Effectiveness of trauma-focused psychological therapies compared to usual postnatal care for treating post-traumatic stress symptoms in women following traumatic birth: a systematic review protocol

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Evidence based practice
Protocol
Effectiveness of trauma-focused psychological therapies compared to usual postnatal care for treating post-traumatic stress symptoms in women following traumatic birth: a systematic review protocol
  1. Marie Furuta1,
  2. Debbie Spain2,
  3. Debra Bick3,
  4. Edmond S W Ng4,
  5. Jacqueline Sin2,5
  1. 1Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
  2. 2Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
  3. 3Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, King's College London, London, UK
  4. 4London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
  5. 5Population Health Research Institute, St George's, University of London, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Marie Furuta; furuta.marie.8r{at}kyoto-u.ac.jp

Abstract

Introduction Maternal mental health has been largely neglected in the literature. Women, however, may be vulnerable to developing post-traumatic stress symptoms or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), following traumatic birth. In turn, this may affect their capacity for child rearing and ability to form a secure bond with their baby and impact on the wider family. Trauma-focused psychological therapies (TFPT) are widely regarded as effective and acceptable interventions for PTSD in general and clinical populations. Relatively little is known about the effectiveness of TFPT for women postpartum who have post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Methods and analysis We will conduct a review to assess the effectiveness of TFPT, compared with usual postpartum care, as a treatment for post-traumatic stress symptoms or PTSD for women following traumatic birth. Using a priori search criteria, we will search for randomised controlled trials (RCT) in four databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, PsycINFO and OpenGrey. We will use search terms that relate to the population, TFPT and comparators. Screening of search results and data extraction will be undertaken by two reviewers, independently. Risk of bias will be assessed in RCTs which meet the review criteria. Data will be analysed using the following methods, as appropriate: narrative synthesis; meta-analysis; subgroup analysis and meta-regression.

Dissemination and ethics As this work comprises a synthesis of existing studies, ethical approvals are not required. Results will be disseminated at conferences and in publications.

  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • PUBLIC HEALTH

This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013697

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors MF involved in proposing and designing the review and protocol development and will contribute to abstract screening, paper screening, data extraction, quality appraisal of papers, writing to authors of papers for additional information, analysis and interpretation of data and writing the review. DS involved in design of the review and protocol development and will contribute to abstract screening, paper screening, data extraction, quality appraisal of papers, interpretation of data and writing the review. DB involved in design of the review and protocol development and will contribute to quality appraisal of papers, interpretation of data and writing the review. ESWN involved in design of the review and protocol development and will contribute to checking accuracy of data extraction and conducting statistical analysis and reviewing the final report. JS involved in proposing and designing the review and protocol development and will contribute to abstract screening, paper screening, data extraction, quality appraisal of papers, analysis and interpretation of data and writing the review.

    • Funding This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) (grant number: 16K15923). The funder has played no role in developing the systematic review protocol and will not have any role during the review. DB is supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South London at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (CLAHRC-2013-10022). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.