We are regularly asked for the source behind the statistic “1 in 3 women and birthing people find their birth as in some way traumatic” and we cite this great study from 2004 by Susan Ayres and her team of collaborators. However the date stamp on this study is now 20 years old and we desperately need contemporary data which reflects the post-Covid era. We also need more intelligent data. For example, right now we cannot tell you with any accuracy how much more likely you are to suffer from birth trauma if you’re from a marginalised group.

We urgently need new data

You may not know that the recent UK Public Inquiry (read more from Make Birth Better here and AIMS here) was inspired by a Public Inquiry which took place in New South Wales, Australia and also recently shared its report and recommendations (read more here). What’s more, the catalyst for the inquiry in Australia was a growing awareness of birth trauma which was in major part driven by the Australian Birth Experience Study (BESt (see here).

This study revealed that in Australia 28% of women and birthing people experienced birth trauma and more than 1 in 10 experienced some form of obstetric violence which left them feeling 'dehumanised, powerless and violated'. Crucially, it was also able to reveal how these rates change across vulnerable groups, for example:

Women and birthing people who felt disrespected due to having a higher BMI: 45% reported birth trauma and 1 in 4 reported some form of obstetric violence.
Young women and birthing people under 25: 41% reported birth trauma and 1 in 6 reported some form of obstetric violence.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) women and birthing people: 37% reported birth trauma and 1 in 6 reported some form of obstetric violence.

Put simply, we need this kind of data for the UK. It will provide crucial context for our training, strengthen the arguments behind our campaigns and inform the NHS and our Government on birth trauma strategy.

BESt comes to the UK

The Birth Experiences Study (BESt) has now expanded into an international collaboration and is being launched across 13 countries around the globe. We are thrilled that Dr Claire Feeley and her team at Kings College London are leading this work for the UK (visit their website here). The BESt-UK study started setting up their work in October 2023 and have spent until now rigorously reproducing the study in coproduction so it is fit for the UK context and can capture all birth experiences.

How does this work link to the UK Public Inquiry into Birth Trauma?

This work is separate to the UK Public Inquiry into Birth Trauma. However we believe this study complements the work already completed and will offer crucial additional insights and perspectives. It’s also about ALL birth experiences - positive, negative or neutral.

The UK public inquiry was led by MP’s in the All Party Parliamentary Group for Birth Trauma. It’s vital that we have this academically grounded research as well as Members of Parliament calling for change.

If you shared your experience with the Public Inquiry into Birth Trauma, you don’t have to rush to share your story again. This survey is open until September so you have plenty of time. You may also feel that once is enough and that’s totally understandable.

If your reservations about sharing your experience in the BESt-UK survey come from a place of not feeling listened to by the inquiry, then please take a look at our seperate blog here which addresses some concerns you might have. Please contact us with any other questions or concerns. We’re listening, we promise.

I want to complete the survey! What do I do next?

The survey will open on Tuesday 18th June and will close on Monday 16th September (however this end date may move back if needed). You can complete the survey via this link below.

COMPLETE THE SURVEY

Key survey facts:

The survey takes between 20-60 minutes to complete.
To be eligible to complete the survey you need to have given birth within the last five years i.e. from June 2019 onwards.
Complete the survey about your most recent birth experience.
The survey is available in 6 languages: English, Polish, Romanian, Portuguese, Urdu and Punjabi.
We want to recruit people who have had positive, negative or neutral experiences.
We are interested in people who have given birth in hospital as well as in other settings e.g. at home, in a private healthcare setting, private or independent midwifery services and free birthing.
We are looking for experiences across the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)
Voice notes are enabled for eight key questions related to the core objectives. These include views about interpreter services, positive or negative comments from care providers, whether pain relief was withheld or pressured, birth trauma, obstetric violence and what you would do (if anything) differently in a future pregnancy.
You can save the survey and come back to it later if you’d like to complete it in separate sittings.

Can you help us reach marginalised women and birthing people?

This study is particular this research aims to reach women and birthing people in the UK from marginalised communities including:

People from racially minoritised groups
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community
Those affected by any kind of disability
Neurodivergent people
People from marginalised religions
Those who gave birth when they were 25 years old or younger
Those with limited formal education
Those who are economically disadvantaged
People seeking asylum, refugees, and those with varied immigration statuses
People who do not speak English as a first language
Those with any additional communication needs e.g. BSL speakers
People with a pre-existing physical or mental condition or a pregnancy/birth induced condition
People with limited social support such as single parents
People who have experienced homelessness
People who have spent time in prison / been involved in the criminal justice system
People who have been referred to social services

We fully acknowledge the limitations of listing marginalised groups in this way. In reality, many intersections occur between groups and many other categories of marginalised people exist.

If you work with any vulnerable or marginalised women and birthing people and you think they would like to share their story, please get in touch and we’re here to support you.

Support for those completing the survey

The survey has been thoughtfully designed to support people through the questions with compassion. However, the questions are asking people to revisit their birth experience which for people who experienced distress, may be difficult. We therefore need to do whatever we can to ensure that people feel as psychologically safe as possible when completing this survey.

If you are completing the survey yourself, please remember that your wellness comes above all else. Before you complete the survey, please ask yourself:

Does it feel safe for you to share your experiences?
Would taking more time to heal benefit you first?
Do you have people to talk to if this process feels upsetting?

Once you’ve started the survey, please consider:

What can you do to help yourself feel safe and supported as you answer the questions?
Do you need to save your survey and come back to complete it another time?
If this doesn’t feel right for you, it’s fine. You don’t need to finish it.

If you’d like to complete the survey but you’re worried you don’t have the right support in place, please contact Make Birth Better here and we will help you find the support you need. This might relate to emotional support or practical support relating to your particular communication needs. Whatever it is, reach out. We’ve got you.

Want to stay up-to-date or help with promotion?

Anyone can sign up to the BESt-UK newsletter here (see the link “Mailing List” at the bottom of the grey box on the right).

Promotional posters and flyers to promote the study can be ordered from here and digital copies of them are available here. Please note however that these posters / flyers cannot be displayed in NHS settings because of the protocal attached to the study design.

Settings where they can be displayed include:

Community Centres
Childrens’ Centres / Family Hubs
Nurseries
Libraries
Cafes
Mother/parent/baby groups
Places of worship
Workplace noticeboards (non-NHS)
Supermarket notice boards
Online social media groups / forums

As mentioned, please contact us with any questions you might have.

The BESt-UK Survey: we need your help