- New research shows life-threatening complications in childbirth have impact on fathers as well as mothers
- In one case, a father was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder
- Experts want hospitals to pay more attention to fathers as well as mothers after traumatic births
By
Andy Dolan
05:36 EST, 14 April 2013
|
05:22 EST, 15 April 2013
For any new mothers reading, here is a health warning: The following may raise your blood pressure.
Difficult or traumatic childbirth can be as stressful and horrific for the father as it is for the mother – according to men.
The claim may win little sympathy from those who not only have to do the giving birth bit but also put up with months of morning sickness, swollen ankles and worse.
Fathers are being left mentally scarred after watching their partners go through traumatic labours, according to a new study by Oxford University
But according to research, some
fathers who have witnessed traumatic or life-threatening births have been left so mentally scarred that they have been diagnosed with
post-traumatic stress disorder.
The condition – usually associated
with troops who have returned from a war zone – affected one father so
badly that he remains unable to work seven years after his wife almost
died giving birth to a daughter who was then taken to intensive care.
Oxford University researchers
interviewed men whose partners had procedures including emergency
caesareans.
They told a common tale of being left alone in hospital
corridors with little clue of what was happening, fearing for the lives
of both mother and baby.
Experts now want hospitals to pay more attention to the effects on the father of a difficult birth.
Darren Dixon was left suicidal after
having repeated flashbacks to when he saw his unconscious and bloody
wife, Sarah, moments before she was taken to intensive care.
Mrs Dixon,
31, from Poole, Dorset, needed an emergency hysterectomy and suffered
huge blood loss after having what the couple thought would be a routine
caesarean.
Their daughter was not breathing, and although she was quickly revived she also needed specialist care in the neo-natal unit.
Mr Dixon said the ‘horrific’
experience left him so psychologically damaged that he was diagnosed
with PTSD and has been unable to return to work as a stockroom manager.
Experts are calling for hospitals to pay more attention to new fathers who witness difficult births
‘FOLLOW-UP CARE CAN BE PATCHY’ SAYS PROFESSOR
Professor Marian Knight, who led the
research, said: ‘Many of these emergencies happen during labour or
immediately after, and involve severe bleeding.
‘The
mums are severely ill and need lots of care. And while everyone is
running around looking after mum, it can affect dads too.
‘For the dads, it’s extremely vivid because they are fully aware of what’s going on.’
‘Pregnancy complications can have long-term consequences
‘It may involve a hysterectomy, for example, which you don’t anticipate as a young woman.
‘It can have long-term effects on mental and physical health, as well as on family relationships.
‘Because such complications are uncommon, follow-up care can be patchy.
‘Sometimes
full information doesn’t get through to GPs and the standard six week
postnatal check up can come too soon for many mothers in beginning to
cope with what they’ve been through.
‘Many couples felt access to counselling was important.
‘Often, we’re running around trying to save mum’s life, but we need to be thinking about dads as well.’
‘For the first three years, my
flashbacks were off the scale,’ he said.
‘Suddenly, I’d be able to smell
the hospital and I’d be back in that theatre with my wife. I just cried
from morning until night and I became agoraphobic. I still don’t work
now and that was seven years ago.’
Mark Booth, 43, said he was left with
flashbacks after looking through the theatre doors to see a placenta
lying on the table when his 36-year-old wife Jo was taken for an
emergency caesarean.
‘I didn’t know what it [the placenta]
was,’ he said.
‘That was the most traumatic moment because I didn’t know
if the baby was dead or alive.
‘Then two nurses came out with an empty
incubator, but didn’t speak to me.
‘That’s the moment that keeps popping
into my head.’
Mr Booth, from Stockton-on-Tees, said he was ‘just put in a corner’ while staff attended his wife.
His wife said medics saved both her
and her baby when she lost a large amount of blood when the placenta
detached, but she criticised the lack of ‘pastoral care’ following the
birth.
Researcher Professor Marian Knight
said: ‘Many of these emergencies involve severe bleeding. The mums are
severely ill and need lots of care. But we need to think about dads as
well.’
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Couldn’t agree more. I couldn’t bear to witness the trauma my wife was going through during my son’s birth.
kingfisher
,
Oxford,
15/4/2013 15:48
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As traumatic a birth is for a woman I never ever thought about the father/partner. As I read this tears came to my eyes for of course it is traumatic for them as well! I did not have a c-section and both my births were healthy so I can’t connect fully but just the thought of seeing a partner in distress like that and your baby plus the thought of one or both not making it of course it is going to be scarring for the other parent. No one talked to him to let him know everything was going to be okay they just made him sit in a corner and stress. That is terrible. Maybe more support in hospital is needed for not just baby/Mom but Dad as well!
thatzhot
,
Toronto, Canada,
15/4/2013 14:44
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In my younger days ,Ladies did what they had to do and gentlemen did what they had to do…if that is too difficult for the younger generation to understand…too bad!
cave dweller
,
liverpool,
15/4/2013 13:51
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News flash! Men can have emotions too!!
oneinchwonder
,
Bumtown, United Kingdom,
15/4/2013 13:22
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Totally agree. My husband was petrified during my emergency c-sect and exhausted with stress afterwards. He got zero sympathy or support from staff or even family. He was dumped in a room and left to dress in scrubs with no idea of my condition. Fast forward 2 years and during a natural birth my husband watches as I slip in and out of consciousness. He stood by me the whole time – no breaks, no complaints. Again once the baby was born he was pushed aside by everyone – except me. Fathers/husbands are utterly helpless during labour. When you next visit a new dad take some time to ask him how he is and maybe get him a coffee and give him a hug.
ponkermagoo
,
Wollongong, Australia,
15/4/2013 12:59
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This makes sense. Seeing anyone you love go through something that hurts is always difficult…
Megsy
,
Oz,
15/4/2013 12:35
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The whole thing makes me feel ill………and I am a woman
onesmartbird
,
City of London,
15/4/2013 12:27
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I was in the pub for 9 of my 13 children’s births. The other 3 (one being twins) I was having a drink at home. Knew I was being clever all along.
Rio
,
Manchester, United Kingdom,
15/4/2013 12:20
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My husband passed out during the emergency C section when my son was born so I barred him from my daughter’s one! Frankly you wouldn’t invite him along to any other abdminal surgery as spectators are an infection risk! But seriously, it must be scary for the man to nearly witness 2 people you love die (as my husband did). These are not normal births but really terrifying times.
Jessica
,
Dundee,
15/4/2013 12:03
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It’s a pity that men don’t have the option to not be present at the birth if it is a problematic delivery. These days it is almost mandatory and they would be seen as letting the side down which is a shame. It must be awful to watch a medical emergency – after all if their partner was having major surgery for something else, they wouldn’t be in the theatre would they?
ladysam
,
southampton,
15/4/2013 12:02
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