News

Announcing Our Proud Collaboration to Advance Birth Trauma Education in Australia

We are thrilled to announce our partnership in a groundbreaking initiative that aims to transform the way healthcare professionals in Australia are trained to understand, prevent, and respond to birth trauma.

For nearly a decade, Birth Trauma Australia, previously known as the Australasian Birth Trauma Association (ABTA), has been a leading voice in advocating for improved education and awareness among maternity care providers. Since our founding, we have worked tirelessly to bring visibility to the often overlooked and misunderstood experiences of those impacted by birth-related trauma. Our advocacy has always centred on one core principle: that meaningful change begins by listening to, and learning from, the voices of lived experience.

We are deeply grateful that our voice, shaped by the thousands of individuals we represent, has been recognised as an expert in this space. This collaboration marks an important milestone in our journey and reflects the growing understanding of the critical role that trauma-informed care must play in perinatal health. For many years, we have called for change, and we are proud that this partnership reflects a collective commitment to addressing what has long been missing in the system.

We do not shy away from difficult conversations. We are committed to raising awareness of birth-related trauma not just as an individual experience, but as a public health issue that demands systemic attention. We have always believed that you cannot prevent the preventable trauma unless our healthcare providers are trained to prevent, diagnose, and treat birth trauma.

This collaboration is a significant step forward. It affirms the need for structural change, and honours the courage of those who have shared their stories so that others may not suffer in silence. We are proud to be at the table as partners in this work, representing our community, advocating for their needs, and helping shape a future where respectful, evidence-based, trauma-informed care is a standard, not an exception.

Together, we are changing the story of birth in Australia.

https://ranzcog.edu.au/news/birth-trauma-education-program

One Response

  1. What a breath of fresh air! Who knew advocating for better trauma training could be so exciting? 😄 Seriously though, its about time healthcare providers get the memo on birth trauma – its more than just a youll get over it scenario. Kudos to Birth Trauma Australia for being the voice in the wilderness (or, you know, the influential voice at the table now!). Heres to hoping this collaboration actually leads to less crying (on our part and potentially from tired doctors) and more understanding. Lets get those training programs rolling out, because clearly, prevention and proper care are the missing links. Cheers to changing the story of birth, one less panicked mum at the end of the bed at a time! 🤰🩺💪

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