Birth Trauma in the UK: How preparation and knowing your rights can support you before, during and after birth
- Kirstie Broughton
- 11 hours ago
- 4 min read
Pregnancy and birth are deeply personal experiences and for many, the pathway to birth isn’t as clear or calm as they imagined. In the UK, a significant number of people feel overwhelmed, unheard, or distressed by their birth experiences. Understanding what birth trauma is, why it happens, and how preparation and rights awareness can help isn’t just empowering, it’s protective.
At The Essex Birth Company we have two main aims, one is preventing trauma and the other is to support trauma where it has occurred, so this blog is here to guide you gently and honestly through the facts, with evidence based links you can explore further.
What is birth trauma?
Birth trauma isn’t only defined by dramatic emergencies, it’s about how the experience felt, including emotional distress and loss of agency. It can happen even when there’s no physical harm.
According to maternal health research in the UK, about 4–5% of women develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childbirth, which translates to roughly 25,000-30,000 women each year. PTSD has a diagnostic criteria all of its own and differs to birth trauma, but can begin as birth trauma
For the detailed survey results from the UK Parliament’s Birth Trauma Inquiry, see: All Party Parliamentary Group on Birth Trauma – Listen to mums: Ending the postcode lottery on perinatal care (2024)
I plan to write future blogs on signs and symptoms and a further detailed explanation of how you can help yourself.
How common is birth trauma?
Studies also suggest that as many as one in three women find some aspect of their birth experience traumatic, which is estimated to affect around 200,000 people in the UK each year.
That same work also found that 73% of women had never been asked about their birth experience by a healthcare professional, despite the emotional impact it may have had.
Data from the APPG and Mumsnet survey also showed that 79% of women experienced birth trauma, with high proportions reporting emotional or physical trauma.
Why preparation matters
One of the strongest predictors of how people feel about their birth experience isn’t just the clinical outcome, it’s whether they felt informed, listened to, and supported when decisions were made.
Research in the UK has shown that support during childbirth impacts whether a birthing person experiences trauma or PTSD symptoms, with better support linked to fewer trauma responses.
Preparation isn’t about controlling birth, it’s about feeling informed and ready to ask questions, understand options, and make choices that matter to you.
Your rights in UK maternity care; what you can expect
Knowing your rights doesn’t create conflict, it gives you a voice and support in informed decision making.
Some basic rights include:
To be fully involved in decisions about your care
To give or decline informed consent for procedures
To ask questions and receive clear answers
To be treated with dignity and respect
To have a birth partner by your side
These rights are reflected in NHS guidance and best practice maternity care principles in the UK.
When birth doesn’t go to plan
Whether it’s unexpected interventions, rapid changes in medical decisions, or feeling unheard, trauma often arises not from what happened but from how it was communicated and experienced.
Other data shows ongoing challenges in UK maternity care, for example, rising rates of serious perineal tears during childbirth, which can contribute to both physical and emotional trauma.
These are reminders of why preparation, advocacy and clear communication are so important, not to prevent all challenges, as birth is unpredictable, but to help you navigate them with confidence, understanding and support.
Healing is both for the mind and body
Birth trauma affects nervous systems and emotional wellbeing and healing often involves both psychological support and body focused practices.
Many people find combining counselling with gentle movement, breath work, mindfulness or trauma informed body practices, such as yoga, helps them reconnect with themselves after a difficult experience. This isn’t a quick fix, it can take time. Being gentle with yourself, taking one step at a time and finding the right holistic support can be invaluable.
What you can do now
Here are practical, grounded steps:
Book one of The Essex Birth Company’s birth preparation workshops. They go way beyond basics, and focus on options, consent and realistic scenarios
Practice gentle grounding and mindful preparation, such as breath work or body awareness. The Essex Birth Company’s Hypnobirthing & Birth Preparation Programme and the Birth After Trauma Programme incorporate both mind and body techniques
Talk with your care team about your preferences and rights early and often. Ask for a Personalised Care and Support Plan to get your needs met
Build a network of support; partner, doula, counsellor, peer group, therapist, yoga
A reassuring close
Birth doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s about preparedness, connection, understanding and compassion. Quite frankly I don’t believe perfect exists in any area of life, but that’s me sneaking in my own opinion! Whether you’re preparing for birth or healing after trauma, you deserve evidence based informed, empathetic support that acknowledges both your mind and your body.
There is so much you can do to try and help prevent trauma and also so much you can do to overcome it.
If you’d like personalised support with preparation, emotional wellbeing, or healing after trauma, I’d be honoured to walk alongside you.
Email: kirstie@theessexbirth.com
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