Counting the Cost of Birth Trauma: The Economic Impact of Postnatal PTSD in the UK

Patricia Moran; Rose Meades; Susan Ayers; Kodchawan Doungsong; Kalpa Pisavadia; Catherine Best; Una Hutton; Fiona  Alderdice; Helen Cheyne; Rhiannon Tudor Edwards

Counting the Cost of Birth Trauma: The Economic Impact of Postnatal PTSD in the UK

Patricia Moran
, Rose Meades
, Susan Ayers
, Kodchawan Doungsong
, Kalpa Pisavadia
, Catherine Best
, Una Hutton
, Fiona Alderdice
, Helen Cheyne
, Rhiannon Tudor Edwards

School of Health Sciences

City University of London
Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport University of Stirling Stirling UK.
University of Oxford
University of Stirling
MAP ALLIANCE Study Team

Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report › peer-review

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Abstract

At least one in five women in the United Kingdom (UK) describe their birthing experience as traumatic, while approximately one in 20 women develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth.

The 2024 All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Birth Trauma Inquiry highlighted the significant impact of birth trauma on women and families and called for research evidence
on the associated public health and wider societal costs of postnatal PTSD.

This briefing responds to that need by providing the first estimates of the economic costs associated with PTSD following birth in the UK, including healthcare utilisation and related outcomes for affected women. Our report draws on a survey of women tracked throughout pregnancy and up to two years after birth that assessed mental health and
health service use. The survey included assessment of postnatal PTSD, involving childbirth-related PTSD arising as a result of llabour and birthing experience, and PTSD arising from other traumatic experiences, such as assault. This briefing also provides extracts from a separate survey capturingwomen’s personal experiences of birth trauma
and its effects on their lives.

Original language	English
Place of Publication	London
Publisher	City, St Georges, University of London
Number of pages	17
Publication status	Published - 10 Sept 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 5 Gender Equality

Access to Document

MAP ALLIANCE APPG Parliamentary reportLicence: Unspecified

https://www.mapstudy.org/research-study-summaries

1 Finished

MAP ALLIANCE (OptiMising cAre for Perinatal Anxiety: evaLuation of heaLth servIce utilisAtioN, outComEs and costs)
Edwards, R. T. (PI)
1/01/22 → 31/08/24
Project: Research

5 Article
1 Review article

Healthcare professionals’ views on barriers, facilitators and optimisation of care for perinatal anxiety: a qualitative investigation
Hutton, U., Delicate, A., Moran, P. M., Ayers, S., Khan, R., Cheyne, H., Shakespeare, J., Maxwell, M., Hollins, K., Edwards, R. T., Sinesi, A. & Meades, R., 18 Feb 2026, In: BMC Health Services Research. 26, 272.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
4 Downloads (Pure)
Maternal anxiety and health service use after birth: cohort study
Ayers, S., Moran, P., Hutton, U., Strange, L., Cheyne, H., Maxwell, M., Best, C., Sinesi, A., Edwards, R. T., Pisavadia, K., Doungsong, K., Shakespeare, J. & Meades, R., 9 Sept 2026, In: BJPsych open. 12, 5, p. 1-8 8 p., e235.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
3 Downloads (Pure)
Postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder and health service use: A longitudinal cohort study
Moran, P., Best, C., Meades, R., Hutton, U., Doungsong, P., Pisavadia, K., Edwards, R. T., Maxwell, M., Sinesi, A., Shakespeare, J., Hollins, K. & Ayers, S., 10 Jan 2026, In: Journal of Affective Disorders. 400, 121171.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Cite this

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title = "Counting the Cost of Birth Trauma: The Economic Impact of Postnatal PTSD in the UK",

abstract = "At least one in five women in the United Kingdom (UK) describe their birthing experience as traumatic, while approximately one in 20 women develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth. The 2024 All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Birth Trauma Inquiry highlighted the significant impact of birth trauma on women and families and called for research evidence on the associated public health and wider societal costs of postnatal PTSD. This briefing responds to that need by providing the first estimates of the economic costs associated with PTSD following birth in the UK, including healthcare utilisation and related outcomes for affected women. Our report draws on a survey of women tracked throughout pregnancy and up to two years after birth that assessed mental health and health service use. The survey included assessment of postnatal PTSD, involving childbirth-related PTSD arising as a result of llabour and birthing experience, and PTSD arising from other traumatic experiences, such as assault. This briefing also provides extracts from a separate survey capturingwomen{\textquoteright}s personal experiences of birth trauma and its effects on their lives. ",

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AU - Pisavadia, Kalpa

AU - Best, Catherine

AU - Hutton, Una

AU - Alderdice, Fiona

AU - Cheyne, Helen

AU - Edwards, Rhiannon Tudor

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N2 - At least one in five women in the United Kingdom (UK) describe their birthing experience as traumatic, while approximately one in 20 women develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth. The 2024 All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Birth Trauma Inquiry highlighted the significant impact of birth trauma on women and families and called for research evidence on the associated public health and wider societal costs of postnatal PTSD. This briefing responds to that need by providing the first estimates of the economic costs associated with PTSD following birth in the UK, including healthcare utilisation and related outcomes for affected women. Our report draws on a survey of women tracked throughout pregnancy and up to two years after birth that assessed mental health and health service use. The survey included assessment of postnatal PTSD, involving childbirth-related PTSD arising as a result of llabour and birthing experience, and PTSD arising from other traumatic experiences, such as assault. This briefing also provides extracts from a separate survey capturingwomen’s personal experiences of birth trauma and its effects on their lives.

AB - At least one in five women in the United Kingdom (UK) describe their birthing experience as traumatic, while approximately one in 20 women develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth. The 2024 All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Birth Trauma Inquiry highlighted the significant impact of birth trauma on women and families and called for research evidence on the associated public health and wider societal costs of postnatal PTSD. This briefing responds to that need by providing the first estimates of the economic costs associated with PTSD following birth in the UK, including healthcare utilisation and related outcomes for affected women. Our report draws on a survey of women tracked throughout pregnancy and up to two years after birth that assessed mental health and health service use. The survey included assessment of postnatal PTSD, involving childbirth-related PTSD arising as a result of llabour and birthing experience, and PTSD arising from other traumatic experiences, such as assault. This briefing also provides extracts from a separate survey capturingwomen’s personal experiences of birth trauma and its effects on their lives.

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PB - City, St Georges, University of London

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Counting the Cost of Birth Trauma: The Economic Impact of Postnatal PTSD in the UK

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

MAP ALLIANCE (OptiMising cAre for Perinatal Anxiety: evaLuation of heaLth servIce utilisAtioN, outComEs and costs)

Research output

Healthcare professionals’ views on barriers, facilitators and optimisation of care for perinatal anxiety: a qualitative investigation

Maternal anxiety and health service use after birth: cohort study

Postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder and health service use: A longitudinal cohort study

Cite this