World Mental Health Day: Understanding PTSD Following Childbirth

World Mental Health Day

For many families, childbirth is expected to be a positive and memorable experience. However, when a birth is frightening, distressing or involves unexpected complications, its psychological impact can continue long after mother and baby have left hospital.

This World Mental Health Day, which takes place on Saturday 10 October, we are raising awareness of birth trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth.

The theme for World Mental Health Day 2026 is “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change” – an important message for those whose experiences during pregnancy and childbirth have had a lasting effect on their mental health.

What is Birth Trauma?

Birth trauma describes the emotional and psychological impact that can follow a distressing experience during pregnancy, labour or childbirth. What feels traumatic differs from person to person and may involve a difficult or prolonged labour, an emergency caesarean section, serious complications affecting the mother or baby, a significant birth injury, heavy bleeding, stillbirth or neonatal loss.

Feelings of fear, helplessness or loss of control during childbirth can also have a lasting impact. Although a traumatic birth does not necessarily lead to PTSD, recent UK research suggests that childbirth-related PTSD may be more common than many people realise.

Research examining women following childbirth across the UK found that around 5.9% met the criteria for childbirth-related PTSD. A separate 2026 paper published in the British Journal of General Practice estimated that more than 15,000 women every year could be living with childbirth-related PTSD that has not been identified or diagnosed.
Recognising PTSD After Childbirth

It can take time for someone to recognise that the way they are feeling after childbirth may be connected to trauma.
PTSD can affect people in different ways, but symptoms may include:

• Flashbacks or distressing memories of the birth
• Nightmares
• Avoiding people, places or conversations that remind them of what happened
• Feeling constantly alert or on edge
• Anxiety, anger or irritability
• Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
• Emotional numbness or feeling detached
• Negative thoughts or feelings surrounding the birth experience

NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) recognises childbirth experiences, including serious medical complications and neonatal loss, as events that can lead to PTSD.

PTSD following childbirth can also exist alongside conditions such as postnatal depression or anxiety, which can make recognising what someone is experiencing more difficult. Support and treatment are available for people experiencing PTSD after childbirth. NICE recommends treatments including trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) following a traumatic birth.

Dr Nusrat Mir, Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist, said the following:

“PTSD following a traumatic birth is a recognised, relatively common and treatable condition. Women experiencing symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, heightened anxiety or avoidance should not feel that they must suffer in silence. Effective treatments, including trauma-focused psychological therapies such as EMDR and CBT, as well as medication in some cases, can make a real difference and help women move towards recovery.”

Recognising these symptoms and ensuring that women can access appropriate support can therefore make a significant difference to their recovery.

Why Can Childbirth-Related PTSD go Unrecognised?

The weeks following childbirth involve significant physical and emotional change. As new parents adjust to caring for their baby and the person who has given birth recovers physically, symptoms such as anxiety, sleep problems or low mood may be attributed to the pressures of life with a newborn.

Research suggests childbirth-related PTSD is not always recognised during postnatal care and may be mistaken for postnatal depression. Routine postnatal appointments must also cover many aspects of maternal and infant health, which can limit opportunities to identify trauma-related symptoms.

The Importance of Listening to Women After a Traumatic Birth

One of the most important messages surrounding birth trauma is that a person’s experience should not be dismissed simply because their baby appears healthy or because the birth was considered medically successful.

Research into childbirth-related trauma has found associations between PTSD symptoms and factors including emergency caesarean sections, complications during childbirth, previous trauma and lower levels of satisfaction with the birth experience.

This makes the theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day particularly relevant. Listening to people describe what happened to them – and recognising the psychological as well as physical consequences of childbirth – can be an important part of ensuring they receive the support they need.

Clinical Negligence Solicitor Carla Duprey, had the following to say:

“There have been a number of maternity investigations recently and a key theme from all of them is that mothers (and their families) need to be listened to and any concerns appropriately addressed. The new maternity care standards that came out this year also made maternal mental health a key element of care and set out recommendations to help to ensure that mothers are routinely assessed for their mental health and referred to specialist NHS perinatal mental health if needed. It is hoped with this new focus, standards will improve across the NHS, and real changes will become apparent”

Carla has previously explored the importance of improving maternity care and ensuring that women and families are properly supported when concerns arrive. Read more about why better maternity care and support matters here.

When Birth Trauma Follows Poor Maternity Care

Not every traumatic birth is the result of medical negligence. Complications can occur even when appropriate care has been provided, and an experience can be psychologically traumatic without anybody having acted negligently.

There are, however, circumstances where avoidable failings in maternity care may contribute both to physical injuries and to the psychological trauma experienced by a mother and her family.

These may include situations where there has been:

• A failure to adequately monitor the mother or baby
• A delay in recognising or responding to signs of distress
• Delays in carrying out necessary treatment or an emergency caesarean section
• A failure to diagnose or appropriately manage complications
• Inadequate communication about treatment, risks or what was happening during the birth
• Avoidable injuries to the mother or baby

Where something has gone wrong, understanding exactly what happened can be an important part of coming to terms with the experience.

How Bond Turner Can Help Following a Traumatic Birth

At Bond Turner, our specialist Clinical Negligence team supports individuals and families who have experienced avoidable harm during pregnancy, childbirth and maternity care. We understand that the effects can extend beyond physical injury, affecting emotional wellbeing, relationships, family life and confidence for months or even years.

When investigating a potential clinical negligence claim, our team can help establish what happened, whether the care provided fell below an appropriate standard and whether different treatment could have prevented the harm. If a claim is successful, compensation can reflect both the physical and psychological effects of negligent care and help provide access to treatment, therapy, rehabilitation and other future support.

Most importantly, we approach every case individually. For someone who feels their concerns were not listened to during pregnancy or childbirth, the opportunity to be heard and understand what happened can be an important part of moving forward.

Seeking Support After Birth Trauma

Anyone experiencing symptoms of PTSD or struggling with their mental health after childbirth should speak to their GP, midwife, health visitor or another healthcare professional. Birth trauma should not be dismissed as something a person simply has to move on from; psychological support is available, and recognising the need for help is an important first step.

Dr Agnieszka Klimowicz, MD PhD, Consultant General Adult and Perinatal Psychiatrist, said:

“Supporting and treating women following a traumatic or difficult birth is important not only for their own recovery, but also for their role as a mother to all their children, including those who may be born in the future, and for the quality and stability of their relationships with partners and the wider family network. Help is available.”

This World Mental Health Day, the message is clear: experiences need to be heard. Listening, recognising the impact and providing the right support can make a meaningful difference. If you believe poor maternity care contributed to your or your family’s trauma, contact Bond Turner’s specialist Clinical Negligence team to discuss your experience and the support available.