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Patients’ reproductive trauma experiences: “Our world is falling apart”.


Chapter Database: APA PsycBooks



Jaffe, Janet

Citation

Jaffe, J. (2024). Patients’ reproductive trauma experiences: “Our world is falling apart”. In J. Jaffe, Reproductive trauma: Psychotherapy with clients experiencing infertility and pregnancy loss (2nd ed., pp. 41–53). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000400-003

Abstract

Trauma occurs when our ability to predict our future and feel safe in the world is no longer possible. This chapter focuses on how patients experience reproductive trauma: events that may be a one-time horrific experience, such as a miscarriage or stillbirth, or experiences that are long-lasting, such as the chronicity of infertility. Unfortunately, many clients experience both fertility issues and pregnancy loss; these patients report the highest levels of distress. The chapter also examines core assumptions and beliefs that patients often have about pregnancy, which may exacerbate these traumatic experiences. When a traumatic event occurs, our vision of the world shifts; what one thought one could count on does not exist anymore. Trauma not only rocks one's external understanding of the world but it also has a huge impact on one's internal world and sense of self. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)


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