How EMDR Benefits Maternal Mental Health Care

Introduction

Pregnancy and motherhood can be beautiful seasons of life, but they can also be deeply vulnerable ones. Many mothers experience emotional distress following perinatal loss, complicated pregnancies, or difficult births. These experiences can leave lasting imprints, sometimes leading to anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), affecting not only a mother’s well-being but also her connection with her baby (Sureda-Caldentey et al., 2025; Kopmeiners et al., 2023).

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, an evidence-based trauma treatment, is now gaining recognition for its benefits in maternal mental health (Zolghadr et al., 2019). By helping mothers process distressing memories, EMDR supports emotional healing and fosters healthier bonding during the perinatal period.

“As both a mom and a therapist, I’ve witnessed how EMDR can be life-changing for mothers navigating the challenges of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. It helps release the weight of painful memories, allowing them to feel lighter, calmer, and more connected – both to themselves and to their babies.”
– Norma Martinez, LMFT, Founder of Blueprint Therapy & Immigration Evaluations

Reducing Childbirth-Related Anxiety

Pregnancy and childbirth are stressful under the best circumstances, but for women who’ve experienced prior trauma, such as a stillbirth or a complicated delivery, anxiety can be overwhelming. This heightened stress not only affects emotional well-being but also increases the risk of medical complications like hypertension, preterm labor, or cesarean delivery (Zolghadr et al., 2019).

EMDR helps women reprocess traumatic birth memories so they no longer feel as emotionally charged. In one study, a single 90-minute EMDR session significantly reduced childbirth-related anxiety compared to routine care, with positive effects lasting even after delivery (Zolghadr et al., 2019).

Healing After Perinatal Loss

The loss of a pregnancy – whether through miscarriage, stillbirth, or medical termination – can be profoundly traumatic. Up to 39% of women develop PTSD symptoms in the weeks following such loss (Sureda-Caldentey et al., 2025). EMDR’s Recent Traumatic Episode Protocol (RTEP) has shown promise as an early intervention, helping women process grief before it becomes entrenched.

In a pilot trial, women who received EMDR-RTEP reported greater emotional relief and satisfaction with care, even when symptom score differences were not statistically significant (Sureda-Caldentey et al., 2025). These findings highlight EMDR’s potential as a compassionate and preventive approach to perinatal grief and trauma.

Supporting Recovery After Traumatic Childbirth

Between 3 - 4% of women develop full PTSD after childbirth, and many more experience trauma-related symptoms such as intrusive memories, hyperarousal, or avoidance (Kopmeiners et al., 2023). These symptoms can interfere with recovery, relationships, and daily life even without a formal PTSD diagnosis.

A Dutch pilot study found that early postpartum EMDR was more effective than routine care in reducing psychological complaints and trauma symptoms (Kopmeiners et al., 2023). Women in the EMDR group also reported fewer work-related disruptions linked to their birth experiences, suggesting EMDR supports both mental health and functional recovery.

Protecting Maternal-Infant Bonding

Untreated maternal trauma can affect bonding, breastfeeding, and emotional availability, which in turn influence infant development (Kopmeiners et al., 2023). EMDR helps reduce avoidance, intrusive memories, and emotional numbing by reprocessing traumatic experiences and reinforcing positive beliefs like “I can keep my baby safe.”

By alleviating trauma-related distress, EMDR allows mothers to feel more present and emotionally connected with their infants, supporting healthy attachment (Zolghadr et al., 2019; Kopmeiners et al., 2023). Improved maternal-infant bonding benefits both short-term postpartum adjustment and long-term family well-being (Sureda-Caldentey et al., 2025).

Conclusion

EMDR is an effective and adaptable intervention for maternal mental health, addressing anxiety, PTSD, and grief related to perinatal trauma. By reducing distress and supporting emotional recovery, EMDR improves both maternal well-being and family functioning.

Integrating EMDR into maternal mental health care can help mothers feel safer, more confident, and better supported through pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond (Sureda-Caldentey et al., 2025; Zolghadr et al., 2019; Kopmeiners et al., 2023).

References

Kopmeiners, E. H. M., Hollander, M. H., van Voorst, N., & Stramrood, C. A. I. (2023). Effect of early postpartum EMDR on reducing psychological complaints in women with a traumatic childbirth experience. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 44(1), 2229010. https://doi.org/10.1080/0167482X.2023.2229010

Sureda-Caldentey, B., Garcia-Gibert, C., Martínez, A., Giménez, Y., Segú, X., Mallorquí, A., Gelabert, E., 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, 1593306. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1593306

Zolghadr, N., Khoshnazar, A., MoradiBaglooei, M., & Alimoradi, Z. (2019). The effect of EMDR on childbirth anxiety of women with previous stillbirth. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 13(1), 10–23. https://doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.13.1.10