Theo Clarke, former Conservative MP for Stafford, has shared a harrowing account of her 48-hour labour and childbirth experience within the NHS, revealing the profound physical and emotional challenges she endured and how it transformed her political focus on birth trauma.

The initial joy of meeting her newborn daughter, Arabella, was abruptly overshadowed by severe complications. Shortly after giving birth, Theo experienced a third-degree tear—a severe injury involving partial tearing of the anal sphincter—which required emergency surgery. She described being rushed to the operating theatre amid heavy bleeding and terror, undergoing extensive stitching while separated from her daughter for nearly three hours. Upon waking in recovery, she faced further distress, including a spike in temperature and continued incapacitation that prevented her from holding Arabella.

Theo remarked on the lack of postnatal care and support in the hospital, noting incidents such as a midwife telling her, “I had 28 other patients to look after,” when she requested medication. She described being left alone with no food offered to her or her husband Henry, who stayed by her side. She recounted the indignity of managing bodily functions with severe injury and limited mobility, and the emotional toll of seeing her daughter’s struggle to latch during breastfeeding, leading to reliance on formula milk purchased by Henry.

The experience led her to confront a widespread pattern of inadequate maternity care, with thousands of women annually suffering similar injuries in the UK. She founded the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Birth Trauma alongside Labour MP Rosie Duffield and led Britain’s first national inquiry into birth trauma, which highlighted issues such as poor staffing, lack of pain relief, and insufficient antenatal and postnatal care.

Theo recalled the overwhelming response when she first spoke publicly about birth trauma, with hundreds of women contacting her to share distressing stories. Reflecting on the inquiry’s findings, she said, “Between four and five per cent of women every year will experience PTSD after birth – equivalent to about 25,000 to 30,000 women in the UK.” The inquiry received over 1,300 personal testimonies and nearly 100 from maternity professionals, detailing incidents including stillbirths, premature births, and serious maternal injuries.

Despite the trauma, Theo continued her parliamentary role, attending sessions via proxy during recovery. However, she faced further challenges returning to political life, including attempts by her local Conservative association to deselect her shortly after maternity leave.

Her personal recovery was ongoing, marked by physical pain, emotional distress, and the challenges of caring for a newborn while dealing with the aftermath of her injuries. She detailed the impact of postpartum night sweats, issues with bowel control, and painful physical therapy. Theo described her struggles with mental health and found some relief through eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, which helped her process traumatic memories.

Now out of Parliament and with Arabella nearly two years old, Theo and her husband have decided not to have more children due to her traumatic experience. She acknowledged the profound personal cost but expressed relief in the bond formed with her daughter.

Theo Clarke’s account provides a candid and detailed insight into the realities faced by many women during childbirth in the NHS, illuminating systemic issues within maternity care and the urgent need for reforms to improve the experiences of mothers and families across the UK.

Source: Noah Wire Services