Key Facts:
Women's Health Inquiry had over 2000 submissions.
Public submissions began in Sydney today
MCN likened the first hearing to the NSW Birth Trauma Inquiry
Maternity Consumer Network, the key organisation that started the NSW Birth Trauma Inquiry, taking 30 women's traumatic birth stories from a regional town in NSW to media and MPs to gain support for the inquiry has likened the first day of Women's Health Inquiry to the familiar traumatic stories of the inquiry.
Today's Women Health Inquiry hearing in Sydney heard powerful evidence from women about birth trauma, postpartum health, physical injury and ongoing psychological impact from birth trauma. MCN Committee member, Edwina Mead, shared her own personal experience of wanting an low intervention birth, but ended up with a unecessary cesarean and a lack of postnatal care for complications afterwards.
MCN spokesperson, Alecia Staines said major reform was needed to address women slipping through the cracks, but warned against papering over the cracks. "Postnatal care has always been considered the poor cousin, but we need to consider what is happening upstream during antenatal care and birth as having continuity of midwifery carer out in the community with home visits, with appropriate referrals to mental health support, physio, lactation support and ongoing support past the 6 week postnatal check."
Alecia Staines said there were clear parallels with the NSW Birth Trauma Inquiry, which brought the experiences of thousands of women into the public record and helped expose systemic problems within maternity care.
"This cannot simply be another process where women tell deeply personal and sometimes traumatic stories and nothing changes. Across States, Territories and Federally, we have had various maternity and women's health inquiries, where women in the maternity space are calling for greater action. We have a national maternity plan that has sat idle. It is long-time for action".
MCN's submission advocated for more access to maternity services including addressing the many closures across rural and regional areas, funding reform to ensure postnatal care was a priority, increased access to MGP (midwifery group practice), self referral pathways for physios and mental health support, and extending the 10 MBS psychology visits back to 20 and collecting adequate data on women's experiences to drive improvements in care.
About us:
MCN is Australia's largest maternity consumer organisation. It has led policy improvement and reforms across Australia.
