Broken Maternity System Leaves Many Women with Lasting Trauma

Campaign group Delivering Better is calling for urgent reforms to address serious failings in the UK’s maternity care system, which has left one in four women reporting negative childbirth experiences. The group is urging Health Secretary Wes Streeting to take immediate action to address what they describe as a “broken” system and ensure better outcomes for all women.

Research conducted by Delivering Better reveals that more than 25% of women who gave birth in the UK reported unsatisfactory experiences. Shockingly, 54% of those who had negative experiences said it made them less likely to want more children, highlighting the long-term psychological impact of poor maternity care. Furthermore, over a third of mothers (34%) reported suffering from long-term mental health issues as a result of their birth experience. This figure rises dramatically to 70% among women who experienced particularly traumatic births.

In September, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) issued a stark warning about widespread failings in NHS maternity services, stating that the problems were far more pervasive than previously understood. Health Secretary Wes Streeting responded, calling the findings “cause for national shame” and vowing to address the issues. This warning came after frustration from maternity experts, who had previously called for action but saw little progress under the previous government. Streeting, who has made the crisis in maternity care one of his top concerns, launched a “national conversation” in October, inviting feedback from NHS staff and patients to develop a plan for improvement.

However, Delivering Better argues that the evidence is already clear. With an estimated 1,600 babies born in the UK every day, the group emphasizes that immediate steps must be taken to improve the system. Jo Cruse, the founder of Delivering Better, shared her own traumatic birth experience, which left her struggling with suspected Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and long-term physical and emotional scars. Despite the trauma, the NHS classified her birth as “successful,” highlighting the disconnect between official records and the actual experiences of women.

Cruse described the current situation as a “maternity care crisis,” stating, “Thousands of mothers are broken by births. What human cost must we pay before we see change?” She emphasized that all women deserve to give birth with dignity, not face systemic failures that harm their health and well-being.

Delivering Better has put forward several key recommendations to improve maternity care. One of the main proposals is ensuring greater continuity of care throughout pregnancy. According to their research, 88% of women want the opportunity to see the same midwife throughout their pregnancy, but access to this type of care varies widely across different NHS trusts. The group also advocates for more regular check-ins from GPs with new mothers, especially at three and six months postpartum, to monitor both their physical recovery and mental health.

The campaigners stress that immediate reforms are essential to address the crisis and ensure that all women experience dignified and supportive maternity care. Without these changes, the long-term impact on women’s mental health and the future of maternity services in the UK will continue to worsen.