Government looking for women's stories of birth trauma for enquiry

Women's stories of traumatic childbirth have been requested by an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Birth Trauma, which aims to collate evidence to the Government for practical and achievable recommendations aimed at improving care and support for new parents.

The enquiry is being co-chaired by Theo Clark MP and Rosie Duffield MP and will hear evidence from from experts, medical professionals and mums during a series of evidence sessions between 5 February and 18 March 2024.

The Government want the widest possible range of experiences as they look to include birth trauma in the upcoming Women's Health Strateguy. They will be supported by the Birth Trauma Association, a national charity dedicated to supporting parents impacted by birth trauma, and anyone wishing to submit their own personal story can do so online.

Research shows that around 30,000 women experience PTSD after childbirth, many more experience some trauma symptoms such as intense anxiety and flashbacks, but not enough for a PTSD diagnosis.  Birth partners can also experience trauma after witnessing a traumatic birth. 

Mersey Care provides specialist Perinatal and Maternal Mental Health Teams who help people who have been impacted by birth trauma, so this piece of research is hugely important into hopefully gaining an understanding, and improving outcomes, for all service users in the future.