Mums still struggle with issues like incontinence and painful sex months or even years after giving birth, a new survey has found.
Considering that the NHS reports that up to half of women who have given birth will experience some degree of pelvic organ prolapse, this issue is unfortunately very widespread.
As well, around 90 percent of women tear while giving birth, according to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Now a recent survey is showing that women who sustain birth injuries often don't receive the care they need.
The survey of women in the UK who gave birth between 2013 and 2016 found that 34 percent of women who tore during birth or had a C-section said that they did not receive adequate care for their injury or surgical scar in the weeks after giving birth.
Only 20 percent of mums who had an assisted birth using forceps or ventouse were debriefed by an obstetrician or midwife afterwards in the postnatal ward. These debriefings are recommended best practice when mothers undergo assisted birth.
Regarding the later impact of birth injuries, over a third (36 percent) of survey respondents reported that sex was painful for them some months after giving birth.
Of these mums who experienced painful sex, only 4 percent said they received 'great' medical care in response, with 13 percent receiving 'adequate' care.
The vast majority, 75 percent, responded that they had not asked for or received medical help regarding this issue.
The survey, carried out as a part of Mumsnet’s Campaign for Better Postnatal Care, revealed that 42 percent of mums report having issues with continence and their pelvic floor.
As far as the NHS's concern for these issues goes, 24 percent of the survey's respondents say they think the NHS thinks good sex and continence are important issues but don't have the funds to prioritise them.
17 percent said that they think the NHS thinks incontinence and bad sex are 'a shame', but as long as babies are healthy 'that's the main thing'. 15 percent said they think the NHS accepts these issues as 'just the way it is' for some women after giving birth.
As well, 23 percent think the NHS thinks continence and good sex are important and they should work seriously to improve conditions for these women.
"We need an honest conversation about what birth can mean for some mothers, and for women to feel they have permission to discuss these symptoms with their healthcare providers and receive effective care," Mumsnet Founder Justine Roberts said of the survey results.
Are you surprised by these figures?
