Maternity Care Crisis: Broken Pelvis Ignored

A woman's agonizing experience of a broken pelvis following childbirth, initially dismissed as normal postnatal soreness, underscores a critical crisis in UK maternity services. Her severe pain and inability to move were overlooked for days in a desperately understaffed ward, leading to a delayed diagnosis and inadequate discharge with only painkillers.

This incident reflects broader systemic failures highlighted by Baroness Amos's interim report on maternity care, which described unacceptable care and tragic consequences for women and families. Recommendations for improvement have been repeatedly ignored over the past decade, leaving many suffering from similar dismissals of their pain and concerns.

The author, a health journalist, shares her personal ordeal, emphasizing how even her professional confidence couldn't shield her from systemic neglect. Her pelvis eventually diagnosed as broken, the recovery was long and arduous, involving years of physiotherapy and ongoing pain, a stark reminder of the urgent need for reform in NHS maternity care.