Sam Hall, an Aboriginal woman from Queensland, Australia, faced a traumatic birth experience that has sparked a nationwide conversation about maternal healthcare. When she expressed concerns about her pregnancy to medical staff, she was dismissed and sent home, only to go into labor the next day. Her son, Koah, was born with medical complications due to delays in receiving proper care.
Hall’s story is just one of many shared by women across Australia who have experienced birth trauma, leading to a world-first parliamentary inquiry in New South Wales. The inquiry found that as many as a third of mothers in Australia suffer some form of birth trauma, with more than 10 percent experiencing obstetric violence at the hands of medical professionals.
The inquiry recommended sweeping reforms to ensure better protection for women giving birth, including continuity of care, free psychological support, and more training for medical staff. However, many mothers and advocates feel that the report did not go far enough in addressing gender-based violence within the healthcare system.
The inquiry also shed light on the dire conditions faced by healthcare workers, who are experiencing burnout, psychological distress, and compassion fatigue. Nurses, midwives, doctors, and support staff are leaving the profession due to low wages and lack of support.
Amy Dawes, who suffered life-altering injuries during childbirth, founded the Australasian Birth Trauma Association to raise awareness and support for women experiencing birth trauma. She hopes that the inquiry will mark a turning point in how Australia’s healthcare system treats pregnant women and addresses the long-term effects of birth injuries.
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Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
NSW to address birth trauma inquiry findings following calls for improved listening to women’s experiences
