New mums not reporting their own health issues

A large number of mothers experience health problems in the three months after giving birth but in many cases the issue is not reported or no health professional seeks to address it.

A major longitudinal study on the health of first-time mothers has found that one third of those monitored as part of the research had pelvic girdle pain at three months post-partum, 28% had anxiety, and 18% said they had suffered depression at some stage since giving birth.

Other problems uncovered at the three-month stage among the 2,600 mothers who were monitored included the almost 60% of women who leaked some amount of urine since giving birth and the 12% who had experienced anal incontinence.