‘Completely life-changing’: eight in 10 women with birth injuries say wounds affect sex life

Exclusive: Woman says sex life never returned ‘to ‘normal’ due to vaginal laxity, scarring and pain’, Maya Oppenheim writes

Researchers discover childbirth injuries have far-reaching repercussions on women’s day-to-day lives and mental health (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Over eight in ten women who suffered injuries while giving birth say their physical wounds have had repercussions on their sex life, according to a new report.

The study, carried out by the Birth Trauma Association UK, alongside campaign group, Make Birth Better, found almost one in five women with birth injuries say they were forced to wait at least six months to a year to get a diagnosis.

Researchers, who shared the findings with The Independent exclusively, discovered three quarters of all women polled said they received treatment for their injuries, but six out of ten of them warned this treatment has only been moderately effective. While around a quarter explained they still have an issue with their injuries.