Harrowing reality of giving birth in NHS hospitals revealed as record number of new mums suffer life-changing injuries

A RECORD number of new mums are suffering life-changing injuries while giving birth in NHS hospitals, grim analysis shows. NHS figures showed the number of women suffering potentially life-threatening levels of blood loss is the highest ever recorded in England. Helen Morgan MP said the report findings were ‘shameful’ Credit: Getty It follows publication of the Ockenden Report into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Credit: PA Nearly 8,000 women experienced dangerous bleeding after having a baby in the first six months of this year. This is more an double the amount of mums who experienced postpartum haemorrhages – meaning they lost a pint or more of blood within 24 hours of childbirth – five years ago. Sign up for the Health newsletter Thank you! Between April and June, 33 women per 1,000 lost more than 1.5 litres, which can be life-threatening if not treated quickly. Meanwhile, three in every 100 women undergoing a vaginal birth suffered third or fourth degree tears, as reported by the Sunday Times. This is a 29 per cent increase on the number of tears suffered by mums in 2021. Tears can occur between vagina and anus – the area known as the perineum – and tend to need surgical repair if they’re serious and extend to the muscle that controls the anus. The House of Commons library analysis was commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, who said the findings revealed a “national scandal in maternity care” that was “shameful”. Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said: “Women and their families are feeling the devastating real-world effects of this crisis, and we have a duty to fight their corner. Most read in Health “Injuries and deaths are rising, and more than six in ten maternity units are now unsafe – we can no longer accept the unacceptable.” It comes as maternal deaths in the UK reach their highest level in a decade. Meanwhile, 65 per cent of maternity units have been rated as inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which issued stark warnings over the “normalising of serious harm in maternity care”. Over the summer, an investigation into the scandal-hit Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust found that more than 500 babies and mums were harmed or died during a decade of poor care. The deaths of 156 unborn babies and newborns, and six mums may have been prevented if the hospital had better looked after them, the resulting 400-page report led by former midwife Donna Ockenden showed. The government is expected to publish a new national maternity and neonatal action plan by the end of the year. The Lib Dems blamed the rise in life-altering birth injuries on a lack of staff and training, with figures from the Care Quality Commission showing that one in ten women – about 54,000 – were left to cope alone during late stages of labour or childbirth. Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, said thousands of women were being left alone during labour, “terrified and exposed to life-altering trauma because severe staffing shortages and missing consultants have pushed wards to breaking point”. He called on the Health Secretary Yvette Cooper to “act now with the staffing, training and resources maternity wards need”. The comments came ahead of the Lib Dems’ annual party conference in Brighton, in which they set out a £600 million rescue plan to “make Britain the safest place in the world to have a baby”. An NHS England spokesperson said: “We know that too many women and families are not receiving the high-quality maternity care they deserve, and we are committed to changing this. “We are taking immediate steps to strengthen maternity services, as set out in the ten-point plan outlined last month, while the Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce develops a comprehensive national action plan by the end of the year. “We are already rolling out care practices that reduce tears in the first place and improve the management of haemorrhage, but for any women that have experienced a traumatic birth, timely access to support is crucial. “This is why the NHS has rolled out dedicated pelvic health clinics nationally, bringing together expert clinicians under one roof, so women can seek help quickly and easily. “Every local health system now also has a specialist community perinatal mental health team, and the NHS has published guidance to ensure GPs carry out a comprehensive postnatal check-up, six to eight weeks after women give birth, covering a range of topics such as mental health, physical recovery and support with family planning.” The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) told the Times: “Every woman deserves safe maternity care and the new health secretary has made this issue a personal priority. “Through the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce that she is chairing this government will deliver the reforms needed to ensure the very highest standards of safety and care for every mother and baby.” The Sun has also contacted the DHSC for comment. Comment now