Exploring Caesarean Birth 6: Trauma Associated with Caesarean Birth

Abstract

Emergency caesarean birth-related trauma accounts for 37.5% of Australia’s Birth trauma and is closely followed by forceps assisted vaginal birth at 33%. Birth trauma is a term that has only emerged in the past 20 years in response to the growing awareness of the many women who live with the ongoing negative physical and psychological impact of a traumatic childbirth experience.1 Birth trauma can result from different traumatic incidents, ranging from physical injury to the woman’s body and/or baby to psychological responses to certain birth events or the care received during childbirth.2