My daughter was born with deep cuts to her face after a traumatic delivery – I’m still living in agony 15 years later

A mother who suffered a ‘traumatic’ birth is still living in agony 15 years later.

Geeta Nayar suffered a third-degree perineal tear and nerve damage when her first child was “forced” delivered with forceps.

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The now 46-year-old underwent surgery for her wounds, also known as an obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI).

But the operation failed and she soon developed agonizing and debilitating symptoms.

Geeta, from north London, has endured numerous other surgeries but a decade and a half later she continues to struggle with severe pain, scar tissue and incontinence.

The medical negligence attorney said: “I was completely traumatized by this experience.”

Geeta and her husband Ed, 49, were “over the moon” when they learned they were expecting a baby girl.

“We had painted the nursery bright yellow and my birth plan was carefully prepared,” she said.

“We were excited about the future.”

And when the mother-to-be went into labour, everything seemed to go as expected and her “calm” midwife reassured her.

But after several hours of little progress, things took a turn.

“I was exhausted from pain and there was a shift change,” Geeta said.

“It was at this point that the situation began to deteriorate.”

Concerned for the safety of her unborn daughter, Geeta requested to be taken to the theater but her requests were reportedly denied.

The situation then “deteriorated further” until it came to “considerable fetal distress”.

“What followed can only be described as a nightmare,” said Geeta.

“There was panic. There have been several failed attempts to deliver my daughter with a suction cup, followed by an extremely forceful and traumatic forceps delivery.

“My daughter was born with deep cuts on her face and I suffered a full length tear in the external and internal anal sphincters and nerve damage.

“Instead of holding and feeding my daughter, I was taken to the operating room for several hours to attempt a repair.

“Unfortunately, that failed and the very next day I suffered my first episode of incontinence.”

I was completely traumatized by this experience.

Geeta Nayar

Geeta was released from the hospital three days later.

However, when she got home, she stated that she had no medical support and was struggling to leave the house due to her injuries.

The new mom made several visits to her GP, but it wasn’t until months later that she was referred to a perineal trauma unit.

After tests, the full extent of her condition was established, including the fact that her nerves were damaged and the initial surgery had failed.

Geeta has since undergone multiple procedures but is still living with her nightmare symptoms.

“I’ve gone from being a resilient, independent woman to someone in dire need of help,” she said.

“While my friends met in the park and visited baby groups, I could hardly leave the house.

“I kept fighting, but after a few months the situation was dire.

“It wasn’t until I finally saw a specialist a few months later that I was told for the first time how serious my injuries were.

“It was terrifying to hear, but also a relief to finally understand why my symptoms were so severe and debilitating.”

“Since then I’ve had to undergo other surgeries that also failed, but I just had to adjust my lifestyle to cope.”

THE TRAUMA OF THE MOTHER

Research by the MASIC Foundation, a birth injury charity, suggests that about 1 in 20 primiparae will experience OASI during childbirth.

Further studies have shown that ethnicity plays an important role: Asian women are about six times more likely to have a natural childbirth than white women.

A shorter perineum, which is less able to stretch during delivery, is one theory for this, Geeta said.

Inspired by her own ordeal, the mother now represents other people affected by AHV in court at the law firm Irwin Mitchell.

Alongside the MASIC Foundation, she is also calling on the NHS to introduce a seven-point plan to reduce birth injuries.

This would require increased training and awareness for pregnant women, as well as specialized clinics and psychological support.

“If you ask a woman if she would like to be informed about a risk factor that may affect her six times more, I’m sure the answer would be a resounding yes,” Geeta said.

“Had my ethnicity been taken into account and I had been told that as a South Asian woman with her first child, I am at greater risk for perineal injuries and the healthcare professionals who cared for me were aware of these risk factors, I strongly believe the outcome could be.” be different.

“What happened to me even though I was born in this country and have a thorough knowledge of the medical system.

“Now imagine that these difficulties are compounded by poor language skills or living in a community where talking about issues like incontinence is completely taboo.”

“The cultural, linguistic and structural barriers to understanding and accessing appropriate care can be insurmountable.”

She added, “It took me many years to come to terms with what happened to me and to find the courage to speak out.”

“The topic of birth trauma is still relatively taboo, but I hope that by speaking up I can help other women.”

“While it’s too late for me and I will always be affected by what I’ve been through, it’s important that other women are aware of the risks of OASI injuries during childbirth so they can make informed decisions about their care.” meet and possibly avoid years.” of trauma, surgery and loss.

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