Maternity in the Wake of Terrorism: Rebirth or Retraumatization?

This phenomenological study aims to portray the nature of the shared
experiences of Israeli women who became pregnant and gave birth after surviving the trauma of terrorism in
order to learn how maternity experiences can either augment the process of posttraumatic healing or
exacerbate the wound inflicted by the trauma. Data was collected via open-ended interviews with eight women
who shared the stories of their experiences. Data analysis revealed findings in four categories: losses, maternity
through the prism of otherness, maternity as empowerment and transformational processes. Retraumatization
can be avoided and healing promoted by ensuring sensitive and individualized perinatal care. KEY WORDS:
trauma, terrorism, posttraumatic maternity, empowerment, Israel, maternity experiences, posttraumatic healing,
perinatal care.