Unmet Expectations, Unmet Needs, and Uncertainty–A Qualitative Survey Study of Women Who Described Giving Birth as Traumatic

Abstract: Traumatic childbirth can have wide-ranging consequences for birthing individuals. Data were obtained from a large-scale ( N = 1,210) online survey of perinatal experiences in the United States. Utilizing a Reproductive Justice framework, we analyzed open-ended responses regarding the most difficult aspects of pregnancy and childbirth from 54 participants who solely identified their births as traumatic. We identified the following themes: Mental and Emotional Toll; The Toll of Relentless Work Expectations; The Embodied Toll; Complications and Interventions; Loss of Control: Bodily Autonomy; and Loss of Control: Interactions with Medical Systems and Professionals. Results underscore the inadequacy of perinatal support in the United States, highlighting the imperative to address policy and research to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals of Good Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality.