Inside STAT: After difficult childbirth experiences, new parents seek healing by speaking out

(MARIA FABRIZIO FOR STAT)

A recent study found that 1 in 6 mothers reported “mistreatment” during their childbirth experience. That was the case for Julie French, who had to have an emergency C-section four months ago. Medical staff brushed off her panic when she tried to convey her trouble breathing under anesthesia, and post-surgery, an epidural complication left her with debilitating headaches and even an early discharge from the hospital when she was still in pain. “It’s still really hard to talk about,” she tells STAT contributor Elizabeth Preston. “It felt like they let me down.” But increasingly, new parents like French are getting back in touch with hospitals, to let them know about their difficult experiences, with the hope that something will change for other mothers. Read more here.