The theme of this year’s ‘Birth Trauma Awareness Week’ is ‘the cost of birth trauma’. Naturally, this will mean something different to everyone, though there are common themes we hear time and again from clients, such as the impact on mental health, relationships and the loss of trust in healthcare professionals.
As a trusted legal partner of the Birth Trauma Association, we regularly support families affected by birth trauma and understand the far-reaching impact it can have. Drawing on the experiences of the families they support, lawyers from our medical negligence team reflect on the hidden cost of birth trauma and the lasting impact it can have on everyday life.
Bernadette McGhie: “the hidden cost of birth trauma touches every part of life"
In the early weeks, clients who have suffered birth trauma are preoccupied with trying to understand what has happened and why they or their baby has been injured. It is only as time goes on that they realise the implications and ‘hidden cost’ for everyday life.
Mothers might not be able to return to work after planned maternity leave even though their finances are reliant on that. Even dealing with everyday matters can become a struggle and this increases anxiety, frequently placing a strain on relationships. This can lead to an enormous amount of misplaced guilt that they are not being a good partner, mother, daughter or friend, thereby exacerbating the trauma and anxiety.
For parents living with a disabled child, even little things like going out to the shops or an evening out together can become costly. Friends and family may not have the skills or confidence to babysit and so it becomes necessary to pay for professional carers. Consequently, much needed downtime falls by the wayside when it is needed most. Life becomes a continuous battle to secure the correct services including vital therapies and education. This adds further insult to injury, with parents acting as unpaid case managers and often providing therapies themselves.
Amy Anderson: "the psychological cost of birth trauma must not be overlooked"
An obvious yet important cost of birth trauma is the debilitating impact it can have on mental health. The heavy burden of trauma is well-known and research has shown that around 4-5% of women experience post-traumatic stress disorder after birth. Sadly, this equates to around 25,000-30,000 per year in the UK.
NHS NICE guidelines provide that women who develop post-traumatic stress disorder after a miscarriage or difficult birth should be offered psychological therapy. This must represent a significant financial cost to our health system.
However, I often hear from families that waiting lists for NHS mental health services are so long that they are forced to seek their own treatment on a private basis. When NHS services are offered, they are not always appropriate and many people find they are pigeon-holed into receiving a specific type of therapy because it is the only one available. The financial cost of sourcing private therapy can be prohibitive, especially if parents are on leave from work in the perinatal period.
Quite apart from the financial impact, the psychological cost of birth trauma is high and mental health crises in the perinatal period should not be overlooked given the tendency for struggles to spill over into other aspects of day-to-day life.
The recent Report of Baroness Amos’ National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation highlights a stark underinvestment in perinatal mental health services, despite identifying that such issues affect around 26% of women. Poor access to perinatal support and therapy where needed following birth trauma is deeply troubling and ought to be a focus moving forward for the new Maternity and Neonatal Commissioner, as well as the new national Taskforce.
Ellie Miles: "Birth trauma can be isolating - connection is vital to healing"
With two highly publicised reviews and reports into maternity care coming out in the past few weeks, there has been a focus on historic and current failings in maternity care, with a lot of scrutiny regarding the practices, culture, and staff shortages in many NHS Trusts.
In recent years, I have also seen a lot in the news about the financial cost of birth trauma, with the primary focus being the cost of legal claims on the public purse.
There is a very real need to focus on these important issues, but within these discussions, the tangible impact of birth trauma on people’s lives can get lost.
Something that I hear a lot when speaking with my clients is just how isolating birth trauma can be. We live in a society where the highlight-reels of people’s lives are shared across social media platforms. With the rise of baby showers in the UK and posting every aspect of our lives, new parents are under immense pressure to present their lives with their babies as picture perfect.
Many of my clients who have experienced birth trauma feel guilty for being unable to meet these incredibly high perceived expectations. This can lead to them staying away from social gatherings, mother and baby groups and other places that could otherwise be an important opportunity for connection and community.
This can pervade all aspects of life, and result in people avoiding friends and family, and withdrawing from social situations and work gatherings altogether.
This can be compounded for clients who have experienced baby loss. There are no words that can fix or a heal that type of loss, and many people end up saying nothing at all, leaving grieving parents feeling alone in their loss.
So, this Birth Trauma Awareness Week, I think it is important to remember the value of connection, and of talking to people about their experiences.
Rachel Bodner: "Not being heard can undermine confidence long after birth"
As medical negligence solicitors, one of the most common themes we hear from mothers and families affected by birth trauma is that they did not feel listened to when they were at their most vulnerable. Concerns were often dismissed during labour or questions went unanswered during delivery and in the post-partum stage.
The hidden cost of not being heard can lead to loss of personal confidence and trust in oneself. Many mothers/carers begin to question their own judgement, struggle to advocate for their needs and lose trust in the healthcare system. This can have a profound effect on self-esteem at a time when they are already adjusting to the significant physical and emotional demands of becoming a parent.
For some, the impact is all pervasive. They experience feelings of anxiety, difficulty understanding what happened and a loss of personal identity. It can result in difficulties bonding with their babies, over-anxious parenting and avoidance of healthcare settings. It can also affect mood, motivation, family relationships and plans for the future, including the desire for future pregnancies as well as impact their return to work.
Both the recent Amos and Ockenden reports make it clear that not being listened to is not a transient problem. They highlight the real-life impact of enduring psychological trauma, which can lead to a loss of trust in healthcare, as well as create relationship and social challenges that can last for years or even decades. Listening to women and patients is not simply a communication skill or measure of patient satisfaction, but a key requirement for safe and equal care.
During Birth Trauma Awareness Week, it is important to recognise that the cost of birth trauma is not only financial or physical. The feeling of being unheard can undermine confidence and wellbeing long after birth, making it crucial that access to compassionate maternity support and care remains essential in both the antenatal and postnatal periods.
Support for families
If you have concerns about the maternity care you or your baby received, our specialist medical negligence team is here to listen and help. Contact us using the details below.
If you have been affected by birth trauma or perinatal mental health difficulties, you may also find support from organisations such as the Birth Trauma Association, Bliss and AvMA, which offer information, peer support and bereavement resources.
Our thoughts are with all those affected by birth trauma and maternity care failings.
Get in touch
If you would like to speak with a member of the team you can contact our medical negligence solicitors by telephone on +44 (0)20 3826 7517 or complete our enquiry form.
