PERCEIVE: Postpartum EaRly EMDR-therapy InterVention: A randomized controlled trial in women with traumatic birth experience

Up to 43% of women perceive giving birth as traumatic. This may lead to (symptoms) of PTSD, fear of childbirth, mother-infant bonding problems, depression, problems with breastfeeding and a lower quality of life. Our objective is to determine the effectiveness of early intervention EMDR in reducing (symptoms of) PTSD in women after a traumatic birth experience. Women eligble for the study will be randomized between 'care-as-usual' or 2 sessions of 60 minutes EMDR therapy 14-36 days postpartum.

1. Women who receive early intervention EMDR will have less PTSD (symptoms) than those allocated in the care-as-usual group.

2. Early intervention EMDR will have a positive effect on Quality of Life, Fear of Childbirth, depressive symptoms, mother-infant bonding and breastfeeding as compared to care-as-usual.

- Screening (8-10 postpartum)

- T0: Pre-assessment (14 days postpartum)

- T1: Post-treatment assessment + interview (36 days postpartum)

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) group: patients in the intervention group will receive two sessions of Early EMDR therapy consisting of sixty minutes each between 14 and 36 days after delivery. Session will be provided by a certified EMDR therapist.

Care-as-usual group (CAU): patients will receive care as provided currently, which means no treatment for their traumatic birth experience. If patients in the CAU group wish to receive treatment, they will be referred to a professional who will assess their eligibility and may then do so after the last measurement (six weeks postpartum).