Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing treatment for birth trauma: a scoping review
Susan O’Donovan, Laura Ward, Ruth Melia · 2026
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Description
Susan O'Donovan, Laura Ward, and Ruth Melia map a 2026 scoping review of EMDR therapy for trauma tied to childbirth. Guidelines already recommend eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for post-traumatic stress after birth, but how it is applied to this group stayed murky. Following PRISMA-ScR methods, the team searched six databases and grey literature through about August 2025.
Twenty-nine sources qualified, spanning trials, qualitative studies, systematic reviews, and grey material. Across them, EMDR looked promising for easing birth trauma symptoms. Yet study designs and outcome measures varied widely, and long-term follow-up was scarce. Evidence on partners and on diverse ethnic groups was also thin. The authors call for stronger designs, shared measures, and research that follows families over time before firm guidance can be written.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Susan O’Donovan, Laura Ward, Ruth Melia |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 46112 |
| LICENSE | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |