Push to overhaul postnatal care for Australian mothers

0:00This woman's health week, there's a push for overhauling health care for mothers after birth. Experts warned oppression, anxiety and PTSD are going undiagnosed as women struggle to find support. Amy Dawes went into childbirth fit, healthy and prepared, but a four-seps delivery left her with life-changing injuries. I'd never heard of this pelvic floor muscle damage which had for me resulted in pelvic organ prolapse. I went to really dark place mentally because my quality of life felt completely compromised. It took 16 months for the extent of the damage to be diagnosed. Her experience so common. One in three Australian women describes their birth as traumatic. Around 6% developed post-traumatic stress disorder. We don't usually associate PTSD with birth and so often women are misdiagnosed.

1:00Psychological conditions can also affect women even after a straightforward birth. Then go on to have ongoing physical or mental health challenges that write throughout that early parenthood as they're adapting to life with an infant. Depression and anxiety often overlooked. Post-natal psychosis causing hallucinations can develop in severe cases. You could say mothers need care well beyond the routine six-week checkup. It's not all about baby, it's about them as well and their mental health care. Because we know that a lot of the time mothers are dealing with trying to do so many things and they're always putting themselves last. Post-natal care will come under the microscope with a Senate inquiry about to examine where women are falling through the cracks and what changes are needed. We know that a lot of women are suffering, that they don't have the support that they deserve and that there is a lot more that we have to do to support women once they've given birth to a baby. Because a healthy baby doesn't always mean a healthy mum.

2:02Jennifer Beshwati 7 News.