“I did everything I was supposed to do. I attended my appointments. I raised concerns. I listened to professionals. I trusted the system. And that trust very nearly killed me.”
Those are the words of Louise Prashad, one of more than 180 people who wrote to Sky News to share their birth stories, after we covered the stories of three women who had suffered traumatic maternity experiences.
Almost all the people who wrote in – more than 90% of the accounts we analysed – said they felt ignored or not listened to at some point by the healthcare workers who they had put their faith in during one of the most intimate and significant moments in their lives.
More than four in five listed staff behaviour that was actively detrimental. For example, staff shouting at them or physically assaulting them in response to making loud noises during childbirth, or in one case telling a new mother not to ring the help bell for a couple of hours because there was a big football match on.
More than two thirds of people who wrote to us said they have had long-term mental trauma as a result of their childbirth experiences, while almost half said their babies were harmed as a result of what happened to them.
The impact of the birth trauma was not limited to mothers and babies. Many of the testimonies we received came from the partners, parents, siblings or other children of those giving birth, explaining how they too were left traumatised by what happened to their loved ones.
These experiences often led to marriages or other relationships breaking down, or the inability to add further children to the family.
The accounts we received are not representative of the normal childbirth experience, as measured in a recent survey by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
But the fact so many people reported similar experiences, and they have clearly had such a long-term impact, show how important the issue is.
Many of the issues raised by our readers also echoed the findings of the CQC report. One in five respondents to that survey said they felt their concerns during labour were not taken seriously. One in four said they didn’t feel that postnatal mental health support was sufficient.
Deaths during childbirth
“By the time anyone listened, it was too late. Daniel had died.”
Deaths of mothers or babies are still fortunately very rare during childbirth, but the risks are higher for older mothers, black and Asian women, and women in the most deprived parts of the UK.
The difference in death rates among newborns, comparing the most and least deprived areas, has been getting steadily wider over the last five years.
As of 2023, a baby born in one of the most deprived parts of the country was 2.4 times more likely to die in childbirth compared with a baby born in one of the least deprived parts of the country.
A few of the people who wrote to us explained that they had bad experiences giving birth in the UK, but better experiences with either earlier or subsequent children in other countries, like Ireland, Italy, and Australia.
These examples are individual experiences, but UN data does show while health outcomes for mothers in most parts of the world have got considerably better in recent decades, they have been getting worse in the UK.
Royal correspondent
After years of warnings, reviews, and mounting pressure, 2026 could be a pivotal moment for maternity services.
We’ve long-known maternity care is in crisis. It is a vital service but one which is under sustained strain. And in some cases, failing mothers and babies with tragic consequences.
Multiple national investigations over the last decade have highlighted serious failings. Each report written has made several recommendations, and yet the system still struggles.
Fundamental change is long overdue, and it could come with the publication of the Amos review. Baroness Amos is looking into system-wide issues, to understand why problems persist, and what needs to change.
But there is already scepticism as to what the review will achieve. Sky News has received hundreds of emails from families sharing their birth traumas. All similar stories, each one harrowing.
Many families feel deep mistrust, telling us we’ve been here before, and lessons haven’t been learnt. There’s a lot of pressure to get this right, and progress will be judged by positive outcomes not promises.
Of the 186 countries the UN collects data for, the UK was one of only 14 where maternal mortality rates were higher in 2020 than they were in 1985. The US and Canada were also in that group, while Cyprus and Finland were the only other European countries represented.
Over that time, the UK has fallen from having the ninth-lowest maternal mortality rate in the world to now being 42nd on that list.
How outstanding staff made awful experiences bearable
While most of the people who felt compelled to write to us shared bad or traumatic experiences, there were also positive stories to tell.
One woman wrote about how fear of NHS hospitals meant her daughter-in-law had her two children at home. She said both children were born safely and successfully.
There were many others who praised individual staff members for making their otherwise awful experiences bearable.
“On 8 April 2023, during the night shift, a gynaecology student from University College London (UCL), a blonde male, was present in theatre. He held my hand and gently stroked my forehead during the whole time I was haemorrhaging,” said one woman.
“I still look for his face in the crowd every time I walk pass UCL, I don’t know his name, but he was the single person who made me feel I was still alive. If you ever read this, thank you.”
If you have suffered from birth trauma and would like to share your story, contact Sky News by messaging us on WhatsApp +44 7583 000853 or emailing [email protected].
The Data x Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.
