A woman has shared a detailed account of her traumatic experiences within the UK maternity care system, highlighting significant concerns about the quality and safety of care provided to pregnant women and newborns. Sarah Close, who endured difficult pregnancies and childbirths between 2019 and 2024, described what she characterized as negligence, lack of empathy, and understaffing in maternity wards, which she said endangered her health and that of her children.
Close recounted that throughout her pregnancies, she encountered around 30 different midwives, with most showing little concern for her well-being. She described some midwives as dismissive, patronizing, or even bullying. In one instance, Close said she was left on a blood-soaked mattress following an emergency Caesarean section, with no pain relief despite pleading for care. Subsequently, she requested to leave the hospital less than 24 hours after surgery, feeling safer recovering at home amid what she described as inadequate hospital support.
Her experiences occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period that placed severe pressure on the National Health Service (NHS). However, Close stated that maternity care has not improved since then, citing systemic issues including low pay for midwives, understaffed wards, and insufficient funding. She emphasized that these conditions likely contribute to a “toxic bullying culture” and a lack of empathy in care delivery.
Close’s account echoes findings from recent independent reports and parliamentary inquiries into maternity services. One report by midwife Donna Ockenden detailed more than 500 cases of avoidable harm and deaths at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, attributing failures partly to a damaging workplace culture. A separate parliamentary inquiry in 2024 raised concerns over women being mistreated during childbirth, including being berated by staff during traumatic events.
Despite Close’s personal trauma and the widespread acknowledgment of failings within maternity services, she urged understanding of the pressures faced by midwives, noting many enter the profession with the intent to support women and infants. However, she expressed alarm at the alleged endemic misogyny and bullying within midwifery, which she described as unacceptable regardless of the challenges nurses and midwives face.
After the birth of her second child in January 2024, Close’s husband underwent a vasectomy, a decision she attributed to the couple’s shared fear for her safety in future pregnancies rather than a lack of desire for more children. Their experience reflects concerns among families about risks within the current maternity care system.
Close has written a book detailing her experiences and has called for urgent action to improve maternity care standards and support for staff, aiming to create safer environments for mothers and babies nationwide.