Only 58% of Australian women have the birth they want – 30 May 2017

Safe Motherhood for All Inc. today is launching the findings of the Birth Dignity Survey.

As we continue our campaign for Respectful Maternity Care for all Australian women, new research from Safe Motherhood for All Inc. shows that only 58% of the women we surveyed who give birth in hospital or a birth centre have the birth they want, while more than a quarter (27%) said that they did not have the birth they wanted and 13% neither agreed nor disagreed.  The survey shows that the care women receive during childbirth has a profound impact on their self-image and on their relationships with their babies and partners.

Our survey of 1735 women who gave birth in the last two years reveals that many women still fail to receive respectful care and choice in childbirth. The research refutes the popular idea that birth only matters for a day, suggesting instead that how women are treated at this crucial time in their lives can have long-term consequences for their mental health, their bond with their infant and the strength of their family relationships.

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