Effectiveness of an eye movement desensitization and reprocessing intervention for the prevention of post-traumatic symptoms in perinatal loss: A randomized pilot controlled trial
Description
Background
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. (post-treatment). We performed an intention-to-treat analysis using analysis of covariance with baseline scores as covariates.Results: 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).Conclusions: 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.
Clinical trial registration: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier: NCT05701137.
This article is part of the Research Topic Women in Psychiatry 2024: Perinatal Psychiatry.
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. (post-treatment). We performed an intention-to-treat analysis using analysis of covariance with baseline scores as covariates.Results: 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).Conclusions: 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.
Clinical trial registration: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier: NCT05701137.
This article is part of the Research Topic Women in Psychiatry 2024: Perinatal Psychiatry.
Format
Journal
Language
English
Original Work Citation
Sureda, B., Garcia-Gibert, C., Martínez, A., Giménez, Y., Segú, X., Mallorqui, A., Roca-Lecumberri, A., & Torres-Giménez. A. (2025). Effectiveness of an eye movement desensitization and reprocessing intervention for the prevention of post-traumatic symptoms in perinatal loss: A randomized pilot controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1593306
Collection
Citation
“Effectiveness of an eye movement desensitization and reprocessing intervention for the prevention of post-traumatic symptoms in perinatal loss: A randomized pilot controlled trial,” Francine Shapiro Legacy Library, accessed November 12, 2025, https://francineshapirolibrary.omeka.net/items/show/29780.