A growing number of women are experiencing perinatal anxiety and birth trauma, leading to a reluctance to have more children, according to a recent report and personal testimony.
Nikki Wilson, chief executive of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, stated that her organization has observed an increase in perinatal anxiety, with rates rising from one in five women to one in four.
Last month, research by the Birth Trauma Association suggested that the trauma of childbirth is a primary driver behind declining birth rates in the UK. The study found that 44 percent of women who experience birth trauma choose not to have any further children, while an additional 33 percent delay having another child due to the experience.
One woman shared that the fear of becoming pregnant again was so intense it led to the end of a long-term relationship. For many, the prospect of repeating the experience of pregnancy and birth is a deterrent to expanding their families.
Bryony Gordon, an author, described her own pregnancy as a distressing period marked by intrusive thoughts and severe anxiety, rather than the idealized experience often portrayed. Within days of discovering she was pregnant, Gordon experienced intense mood swings and obsessive-compulsive tendencies, fearing for the safety of her unborn child. She was eventually diagnosed with perinatal depression, likely exacerbated by hormonal shifts.
"It was a dreadful time," Gordon wrote, recalling how she struggled to care for herself. The moment her daughter was born, however, the depression subsided, which she attributes to hormonal changes.
Gordon argues that societal focus on blaming women for falling birth rates overlooks the systemic issues. "So often, women are blamed for the falling birthrate, but it’s the system that refuses to acknowledge the complexities of pregnancy, birth and childcare that we should focus on," she stated. She advocates for greater attention to mothers' experiences, rather than persistent questioning about their family planning decisions.
The article also briefly touches on other cultural and social observations, including the prominence of female characters in the TV show "Ted Lasso," a critique of a film's casting, and a humorous take on differing household habits regarding food storage.