Forceps severely injure 1 in 4 Canadian mothers when used in childbirth: study – CTV
Oct. 19, 2023
Mothers and birthing parents in Canada are severely injured in as many as one out of four deliveries involving forceps, according to a study published in the BMJ Thursday.
The study’s authors – epidemiologists, obstetricians, urogynecologists and community advocates from Canada and Sweden – found more than 10 years of evidence that forceps and vacuum deliveries in Canada are linked with a high rate of injury in mothers and babies. In fact, among high-income countries, Canada has the highest rate of maternal trauma after births in which tools like forceps and vacuums are used, according to a study published today.
Despite the risk of harm, lead author Giulia Muraca from McMaster University said little-to-no effort has been made to highlight or solve the problem in Canada.
“It’s hidden. No one speaks about it because of obvious reasons, like it’s embarrassing or some people think this is just a normal side effect of childbirth, and it’s not,” she told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview on Wednesday.
