Feeling ignored, neglected and having feelings and experiences dismissed are the most frequent issues raised by women in nearly 170 birth stories that were shared with and analysed by Sky News.
Others said that staffing levels on maternity wards were not sufficient or that doctors, nurses and midwives were overstretched.
These two factors contributed to many feeling there were delays to their receiving crucial care, or that their treatment was not escalated when it should have been.
As well as stories of physical trauma, there were many reports of significant mental health impacts, some of which are ongoing decades after the births took place, in some cases contributing to decisions not to have further children.
Others mentioned being forced into surgery or other medical procedures either against their will or that could have led to worse health outcomes for mothers or children.
Women left feeling ignored
Michelle, who gave birth to her first child in Australia, said she was made to feel like a complaining, overprotective mother after the birth of her second child in the UK.
She told Sky News how she was told to “drink a can of coke” after feeling like she was going to pass out – she had endured significant blood loss.
Later, she found out that she was severely anaemic, though she says none of this was explored at the time
After her and her baby were rushed to a special care unit following a lack of regular monitoring, she said someone removed most of the pages from her medical notes – which she never saw again and about which she received no explanation.
Twenty-three years after giving birth, Sara still vividly remembers how she was let down by those around her as her concerns were dismissed.
She said staff were rude to her from the minute she arrived, having received a call to come into the hospital to be induced.
Sara was also a high-risk pregnancy due to lupus.
Once she arrived at the hospital, she said their immediate response was: “Well, it wasn’t me that called you.”
She was directed to a bed and left there, not knowing whether to undress or not. Eventually, a doctor arrived to induce her, and she was left half-dressed on her bed.
Later, a clinical support worker told her husband to go home despite Sara explaining she had been induced.
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They were told that she would not be having her baby in the hospital that night as staff were far too busy.
Luckily, Sara did not listen to that advice and felt so ignored she asked her husband to call her mum to come in.
Together they managed to – in her own words – kick up enough of a stink that they eventually sent a porter to take her to the delivery ward.
She gave birth 20 minutes later.
If she had listened to the people who were meant to be looking after her, she would have given birth to her daughter alone.
The level of care she was given post birth, did not improve.
The next morning, she was told not to ring the buzzer as there was a big football match that staff were watching.
Issues and worries dismissed rather than listened to
Many women reported having their worries totally dismissed.
Anita had her first baby when she was 20.
She knew and could feel that she was very ill but was told to go home and rest multiple times. She was told she had flu.
Anita actually had pre-eclampsia and nearly died.
She was rushed to the hospital for an emergency c-section, only to be told by another doctor: “Not to worry, we can deliver you naturally, you’re fine and young.”
Luckily, the previous doctor called to check on how the c-section went and after he had an argument with staff on the maternity ward, they rushed Anita to surgery for the operation.
She was left feeling it was lucky both she and her baby survived.
We have been inviting Sky News readers to get in touch with their birth stories after the publication of a damning interim report into “unacceptable” maternity care failings.
Hundreds of you have sent us your stories, which we’ve been featuring in a blog all week.
You can send yours via Your Report or by email at [email protected]. By doing so, you agree for us to publish it here.
