"Pregnant women in England are at growing risk of suffering a serious injury while giving birth, NHS figures reveal. The number of mothers sustaining a third- or fourth-degree perineal tear while delivering their baby has risen from 25 in 1,000 in June 2020 to 29 in 1,000 in June this year a 16% increase. Such injuries can have a life-changing impact on women's physical and mental health, cause post-traumatic stress disorder and leave them afraid to have another child."
"Childbirth experts linked the rise in the most serious forms of tear to poor NHS care, understaffing in NHS maternity units and mothers getting older and larger. Women are also being put in danger because hospitals do not always properly establish the risk of suffering a tear using an assessment method recommended by obstetricians, midwives and MPs. Behind these figures are heartbreaking stories of women suffering unimaginable trauma at a moment that should be full of joy,"
Rates of third- and fourth-degree perineal tears during childbirth in England rose from 25 per 1,000 in June 2020 to 29 per 1,000 in June this year, a 16% increase. Almost 3% of women who gave birth sustained a serious tear. These injuries damage the anal sphincter and can cause long-term pain, birth trauma, incontinence and post-traumatic stress. Contributing factors include poor NHS care, understaffing in maternity units, increasing maternal age and body size, and failures to use recommended risk-assessment methods. Poor identification and treatment of tears contributes to high maternity-related legal costs and large damages paid by trusts. A national inquiry and taskforce have been launched to recommend improvements.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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