Worldwide survey reveals birthing experiences

Posted on 31st March 2020

Giving birth should be one of the most amazing experiences of a woman’s life, and yet this experience can be ruined when receiving a birth injury, either to the mother or the baby.

A worldwide survey published in 2017 cited many reasons where the medical profession had negatively impacted their pregnancy or birth experience. Around 95% of the respondents to the survey were from Australia and Oceania, North America and Europe.

The survey identified four areas that were of concern following analysis of the results: prioritising the care provider’s agenda; disregarding embodied knowledge; lies and threats; and ‘violation.

The survey asked for respondents to comment on the care they received:

“I begged not to have a c section, neither I nor my baby were in distress or danger, but because the doctor was ready to go home, he did a terrible section that resulted in almost a year of recovery.”

“Being bullied into interventions with such wording the following: ‘Do you want a dead baby?'”

“I was treated like a cow having trouble calving and felt abused and humiliated.”

Many other comments related to how women felt the treatment they received amounted to abuse.

Birth injury to mother

Treatment received by pregnant women in the UK is on the whole very good. However, with the reported lack of midwives and nursing staff, unfortunately, there are instances where the birth of the baby is not straightforward, and can result in a birth injury to the mother.

In these instances there may be cause to make a birth injury claim, and in these circumstances, checking the facts with a birth injury lawyer would be advisable.

Birth injury compensation

If you need to make a claim for compensation regarding a birth injury, Blackwater Law have specialist birth injury solicitors who are able to offer expert advice, with a free initial consultation.