'My Birth Injury Went Undiagnosed For Years. I Can't Let Other Women Suffer The Same Fate'

As new data shows the rate of women sustaining serious tears during childbirth is at its highest, Zara Ishfaq shares how it's impacted her life.

Parents editor at HuffPost UK

It’s no secret that maternity care in England is in real crisis. A recent 174-page report reiterated what many – families, midwives, legal experts – have known for years: too many women and their babies are frequently experiencing harm.

Baroness Valerie Amos, chair of the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation which published the report, called for an immediate overhaul of the maternity system as “it is not fit for the now, and it is not fit for the future”.

Issues repeatedly flagged during the investigation included women and families not being listened to; racism and discrimination; and services not being set up to support women’s choices.

In the very worst cases, women and babies died, while many others have been left with long-lasting injuries and trauma.

As conversations around the broken maternity system continue to swirl, Zara Ishfaq is sharing her story to try and raise awareness of birth injuries, particularly among women of South Asian heritage.

Previous research from birth injury charity The MASIC Foundation found that around one in 20........

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