A new inquiry published earlier this week has highlighted the desperate need for improvements to the UK’s maternity and postnatal care. The report received individual submissions relating to more than 1,300 birth trauma experiences and heard from nearly 100 maternity professionals. Covering a range of areas including birth injuries, mental health services, the wider impact of birth trauma, partners’ perspective and marginalised groups, the report set out a clear list of recommendations, focusing on issues such as:
The report comes at a pertinent time, with 30,000 women across the UK experiencing birth trauma every year. MumsAid CEO, Dr Miriam Donaghy, released the following statement relating to the report:
“As the CEO and founder of MumsAid, a charity that supports perinatal mental health, I am deeply concerned by the findings of the recent government enquiry into birth trauma. The report’s revelation of widespread and substandard care, underscores a critical need for systemic change. We work closely with our colleagues in the NHS and the community health sector, and we can see that they are working tirelessly to support pregnant women and new mums. However, more resources are needed. Our organisation witnesses daily the profound impact of birth trauma on women’s mental health, and this report validates the urgent need for comprehensive support and reform. We urge policymakers to prioritise the implementation of the enquiry’s recommendations immediately. It’s time to ensure that all mothers receive the compassionate, high-quality care they deserve.”
Read the full report here: https://www.theo-clarke.org.uk/news/theo-clarke-mps-birth-trauma-report-launched
If you or someone you love has been affected by birth trauma, please get in touch. MumsAid provides specialist support through our birth trauma group Restore and we also offer specialist counselling services and signposting.
One mum said of the Restore group: “The facilitators were open, understanding and insightful. They were very supportive and created an environment that felt safe and supportive where deep feelings and thoughts could be shared and explored without judgment. They provided possible solutions and strategies for coping with problems in a delicate and caring way without dictating what any group member must do. They also picked up where individual help was needed and offered individual sessions.”