Effectiveness of an eye movement desensitization and reprocessing intervention for the prevention of post- traumatic symptoms in perinatal loss: a randomized pilot controlled trial

TL;DR

This study explores whether EMDR can help prevent post-traumatic symptoms in women who have experienced perinatal loss.

Contribution

The study is the first to evaluate EMDR for preventing post-traumatic symptoms after perinatal loss.

Findings

EMDR-RTEP was found to be feasible and well accepted by participants.

Participants in the EMDR group reported higher perceived emotional change compared to usual care.

Larger studies are needed to confirm the preliminary effectiveness of EMDR-RTEP.

Abstract

Perinatal loss is a situation with significant traumatic potential. However, no study has evaluated the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) for the prevention or treatment of post-traumatic symptoms in perinatal loss. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an EMDR recent traumatic episode protocol (EMDR-RTEP) as a preventive intervention for post-traumatic symptoms after perinatal loss.

A one-site, open label, randomized controlled pilot trial was designed. A total of 40 women who had suffered perinatal loss in the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Service of a tertiary university hospital were recruited. The women were randomized to the EMDR-RTEP (n=20) or treatment as usual (TAU, n=20). Post-traumatic, depressive, anxiety and intensity of perinatal grief symptoms were assessed using standardized instruments at baseline and 3 months after perinatal loss (post-treatment). We performed an intention-to-treat analysis using analysis of covariance with baseline scores as covariates.

Women who received the EMDR-RTEP scored non-significantly lower than women who received TAU in all post-treatment outcomes. According to a satisfaction scale (CRES-4), women who received the EMDR-RTEP had a higher perceived emotional change than women who received TAU (U = 69.5, p = .011).

EMDR-RTE is a feasible intervention, that is well accepted and tolerated by women after perinatal loss, with adequate satisfaction. Further studies with a larger sample size are needed to confirm these results.

https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier NCT05701137.

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