Shocking revelations from a recent inquiry into traumatic childbirth experiences have prompted urgent calls for comprehensive reforms in maternity care in England. Here’s the full story.
Birth Trauma
According to a new report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Birth Trauma, the NHS in England is suffering from a series of systemic failures which are causing women to have deeply traumatic and life-changing experiences during childbirth.
Severe Medical Negligence
The investigations have revealed experiences that range from inadequate pain relief to severe medical negligence, resulting in life-altering consequences for both mothers and babies.
1,300 Accounts
The APPG for Birth Trauma conducted an inquiry which uncovered damning accounts from over 1,300 women who endured traumatic births.
Denying Essential Care
These stories depict instances of medical staff dismissing concerns, denying essential care, and even covering up mistakes, leaving lasting emotional and physical scars on mothers.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Some of the experiences have been so traumatic that mothers have been left suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or have been unable to return to work due to the lasting and life-altering outcomes of their traumatic birth.
“Mistakes and Failures”
The report’s language is unflinchingly stark, stating, “In many of these cases the trauma was caused by mistakes and failures made before and during labour. Frequently these errors were covered up by hospitals who frustrated parents’ efforts to find answers.”
“Care That Lacked Compassion”
It continued, “There were also many stories of care that lacked compassion, including women not being listened to when they felt something was wrong, being mocked or shouted at and being denied basic needs such as pain relief.”
One in Three Women
The statistics included in the report are similarly damning, with one in three of the approximately 600,000 women who give birth each year in the UK experiencing a traumatic birth. Similarly, approximately 5% of women who give birth go on to suffer from PTSD.
Lack of Staff
Some of the problems outlined in the report seem to revolve around a lack of staff, with there simply not being enough qualified midwives to explain to women what to expect, take care of their needs, or being left in the dark about what was happening with their bodies and their babies.
“Poor Quality”
The report states, “Women frequently felt they were subjected to interventions they had not consented to, and many felt they had not been given enough information to make decisions during birth. The poor quality of postnatal care was an almost universal theme. Women shared stories of being left in bloodstained sheets or of ringing the bell for help but no one coming.”
“Wasn’t Her Problem”
Tory MP Theo Clarke, who chaired the inquiry, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, described her personal experience of a traumatic birth, stating, “I remember pressing the emergency button after I’d come out of surgery and a lady came in and said she couldn’t help me, said it wasn’t her baby, wasn’t her problem and walked out and left me there.”
“Safe Levels of Staffing”
She continued, “So we need to make sure there are safe levels of staffing.”
“National Tragedy”
Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, who also sat on the APPG for Birth Trauma, said that the sheer number of women who were having to deal with the aftermath of traumatic births was “nothing short of a national tragedy.”
Comprehensive Overhaul
In response to these findings, the inquiry calls for a comprehensive overhaul of the maternity and postnatal care system. Key recommendations include appointing a maternity commissioner to oversee care standards, ensuring safe staffing levels, and addressing inequalities in care provision.
“Universal Access”
The report also calls for “universal access to specialist maternal mental health services” for mothers across the UK.”
“More Midwives”
It also called on the government to show how it would “recruit, train and retain more midwives, obstetricians and anaesthetists to ensure safe levels of staffing in maternity services and provide mandatory training on trauma-informed care.”
“Simply Not Good Enough”
In response to the report’s findings, NHS England’s chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, stated, “The experiences outlined by women in this report are simply not good enough and not what the NHS wants or expects for patients.”
“Improve the Quality”
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins stated, “I am determined to improve the quality and consistency of care for women throughout pregnancy, birth and the critical months that follow, and I fully support work to develop a comprehensive national strategy to improve our maternity services.”
Physical and Mental Health Services
Atkins added that she was determined to improve postnatal care for new mothers by implementing GP appointments for all new mothers after childbirth completing the rollout of new physical and mental health services for new mothers and pregnant women across England by the end of the year.
Damning Indictment
The revelations from the recent inquiry into traumatic childbirth experiences in the UK are a damning indictment of the systemic failures within maternity care in an NHS that is stretched to breaking point.
Mothers and Babies
However, it remains to be seen whether the report’s findings will lead to meaningful change for England’s mothers and their babies in the future.
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