Press Releases
Press Releases issued by the BTA will be published here when they become
available.
23/02/06 |
Charging for epidurals will
leave vulnerable at risk
The BTA were dismayed to hear the proposal from the Education
and Research Committee of the Royal
College of Midwives that women having babies in NHS hospitals should
pay for epidurals unless there is a medical need.
Download Press Release Word | PDF |
Key information for journalists
About the BTA
The Birth Trauma Association (BTA) is a
voluntary organisation of mothers established in 2004 to support women
suffering from Post Natal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or birth
trauma. It is the only organisation in the UK which deals solely and
specifically with this issue. We aim to offer advice and support to all
women and their families who are finding it hard to cope with their childbirth
experience. We are also dedicated to researching PN PTSD and developing
better diagnosis and treatment for sufferers as well as establishing
preventative measures.
The BTA have a strong commitment to campaigning for informed
choice in childbirth – this must not be confused with
campaigning for or against any particular type of birth. We simply believe
that it is essential for mothers and fathers to be made fully aware of
all the possibilities open to them and that their subsequent informed
choice should be treated with respect and compassion by health professionals.
What is Birth Trauma?
In this context Birth Trauma
is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that occurs after childbirth.
We also include those women who may not meet the clinical criteria for
PTSD but who have some of the symptoms of the disorder. This is distinctly
different from Post Natal Depression and PTSD is the term for a set of
normal reactions to a traumatic, scary or bad experience. Symptoms are
debilitating and can have long reaching consequences for sufferers and
their families.
The BTA has a very successful website at www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk.
The site currently receives over 7,000 unique visitors every month and
this is rising. The site has become an extremely useful tool not only
for parents, but also for professionals in a wide range of fields from
midwifery to psychology. If you need information on birth trauma quickly
this should be your first port of call.
Who suffers from PN PTSD?
Studies indicate that, in
the UK, around 10,000 women a year develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD). Also, as many as 200,000 more women may feel traumatised by childbirth
and develop some of the symptoms of PTSD.
Sufferers can come from any background however women who have had a
history of abuse or previous trauma are at greater risk.
The BTA is committed to working with maternity and mental health practitioners
and the NHS to ensure that labouring women receive the information and
care they need. In our experience the vast majority of traumatic birth
experiences which lead to symptoms of PN PTSD are avoidable or the symptoms
are treatable if properly diagnosed.
Birth Trauma Association Logo - Download
EPS File (774 kb)
Fast Facts
- It is estimated that, in the UK alone, 10,000
women a year may develop Post-Natal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PN PTSD).
- As many as 200,000 women may also feel traumatised by childbirth
and develop some of the symptoms of PTSD.
- Approximately 1/3rd of women have some traumatic response
to birth.
- There are risk factors for Post Natal PTSD which include a very
complicated mix of objective (e.g. the type of delivery) and subjective
(e.g. feelings of loss of control) factors. They include:
- Lengthy labour or short and very painful labour
- Induction
- Poor pain relief
- Feelings of loss of control
- High levels of medical intervention
- Traumatic or emergency deliveries, e.g. emergency caesarean
section
- Impersonal treatment or problems with the staff attitudes
- Not being listened to
- Lack of information or explanation
- Lack of privacy and dignity
- Fear for baby's safety
- Baby’s stay in SCBU/NICU
- Poor postnatal care
- Previous trauma (for example, in childhood, with a previous
birth or domestic violence)
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