Nearly half of women with birth trauma decide not to have more children
13 July 2026
Nearly half (44%) of women affected by traumatic birth decide not to have any more children as a consequence, a survey has found.
The survey, conducted by the Birth Trauma Association, asked 903 women about the cost of their birth trauma. Their answers laid bare the wide-ranging and long-lasting effect of birth trauma on their finances, their relationships, their careers, their mental health and their physical health.
Other findings included:
· 70% said that birth trauma had put a “significant” or “some” strain on their partner relationship, with one in 12 saying the relationship had broken down altogether
· 28% said their birth trauma had affected their career progression
· 17% said their birth trauma had cost them more than £10k (excluding loss of income)
· 46% said their birth trauma had affected their relationship with their wider family
One respondent, Amira, said: “My fourth-degree tear didn’t just leave me with a physical injury. It affected every part of my life, including my mental health, my confidence, my relationships, and even my ability to leave the house without fear. Ten years later, I'm still living with the consequences, and I hope that by sharing my story, more women will be listened to, believed, and given the care they deserve.
Many said that the birth trauma had affected their working life, causing them to return to work later than planned, to work reduced hours or change job altogether.
Others said that the birth trauma had affected their professional self-confidence. “I left that hospital a shell of myself and, ten years on, I have never regained my confidence or professional self/identity,” one wrote.
The cost of birth trauma was felt, not just on the woman’s working life but on her partner’s: nearly a third (31%) said their partner had had to take time off to look after them or their baby, while 12% saying their partner had to change their working hours or work reduced hours, and 7% said their partner’s career progression had been affected.
The psychological distress of birth trauma meant that many women were plagued by mental health symptoms: 82% had experienced anxiety in the weeks and months following the birth. Some wrote of feeling so fearful of health professionals that they would no longer attend medical appointments.
Sian wrote: “The psychological impact of my birth has cost me more than I ever expected. I was left with PTSD, postnatal depression and anxiety, and it took away my confidence to even leave the house, let alone go back to work. My husband had to take a significant amount of time off work just to look after me. Three-and-a-half years on, I'm still rebuilding what that day took from me.”
A number of women wrote about how physical injuries at birth had had a longstanding effect on all areas of their life. One wrote that the impact included “not wanting to leave the safe space of your own house, taking change of clothes in a bag when leaving the house, feeling humiliated, not being able to do some family activities, feeling insecure and less desirable, painful intercourse, unable to stand for long periods of time at work, or unable to squat or change position easily at work/home.”
The Birth Trauma Association is calling on the government to implement one of the recommendations from the 2024 birth trauma inquiry, to commission research into the cost of birth trauma to the economy.
Kim Thomas, CEO of the Birth Trauma Association, said: “As a charity, we frequently hear from women that their traumatic birth experience has affected all areas of their lives, from their partner relationship to their ability to pursue their career. Yet the research in this area has been minimal. Our survey shows that the birth trauma affects women’s finances, their careers, their relationships and their physical and mental health. Not only that, but the cost of mental and physical health treatment for trauma represents a financial burden to the NHS, while the working hours lost by both women and their partners as a result of traumatic birth, has a knock-on effect on the wider economy. It is time for the government to take the cost of birth trauma seriously, and to address the problems in maternity care that are leading to so many women experiencing long-term trauma as a result of their birth experience.”
/Ends
Notes for editors:
1. The survey, which was hosted on Mailchimp, launched on 2 June and closed on 30 June. It was advertised in the Birth Trauma Association’s private Facebook group, in our subscribers’ newsletter and on our public social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Bluesky. The full report is available on our website at: insert here.
2. The most recent research suggests that nearly 6% of women develop postnatal PTSD every year in the UK: about 35,000 women.
3. The Birth Trauma Association, founded in 2004, is a charity supporting parents experiencing psychological distress after traumatic birth. You can find our website at www.birthtraumaassociation.org
4. Amira or Sian are available for interview. To talk to them, or for more information, contact Dr Kim Thomas at kim@birthtraumaassociation.org or 07779 275032
5. Follow us on X at @BirthTrauma, on Facebook at Birth Trauma Association – UK and on Instagram at birth_trauma_association_uk
