Some women enter maternity care with a history of trauma that may go unrecognised, misunderstood, or unaddressed. In addition, while many women have a positive experience of maternity care, some may experience birth trauma. Birth trauma can be physical, psychological, or both.
To support the adoption of trauma informed care principles into routine maternity care, the Ministry of Health has developed an 'at a glance' resource for clinicians. Co-designed with consumers, this resource is intended for all maternity staff (both clinical and non-clinical) to offer practical, real-world guidance to help embed trauma-informed care principles into everyday practice, ultimately improving outcomes and experiences for women.