Wagga Base, Riverina hospitals maternity horror stories flow as NSW birth trauma inquiry hearing set for Wagga

Women traumatised by their birth experiences at Wagga Base have started to lodged their stories with the state's birth trauma inquiry, which was sparked by a wholesale complaint against the Riverina's largest hospital.

At least six of the 101 submissions - the majority of which do not publicly name the facility involved - published by the inquiry so far specifically address experiences at Murrumbidgee Local Health District hospitals, including Wagga, Tumut and Griffith.

The inquiry was established by the state government in June after the Maternity Consumer Network filed a complaint with the Health Care Complaints Commission on behalf of dozens of women alleging poor maternity care at Wagga Base Hospital.

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The birth trauma inquiry, which is chaired by Animal Justice Party MLC Emma Hurst, will hold a hearing in Wagga on September 8.

The publicly-available submissions published so far on the inquiry's website is just a drop in the ocean of "unprecedented" feedback, with more than 1500 responses received with almost a week before the feedback period closes.

"The sheer number of submissions received so far highlights the desperate need for this inquiry," Ms Hurst said on Wednesday.

"While the submissions are not all online at this stage that is because a careful and thoughtful process needs to take place to ensure confidentiality and to support each person coming forward to give evidence. We appreciate everyone's patience as this process takes place.

"We expect a significant number of additional submissions to come through before the new deadline."

NSW Health has noted the Wagga inquiry date, confirming representatives will be in attendance, and said it is committed to listening to and learning from women about their experiences of maternity care.

A woman who suffered a fourth-degree perineal tear has already told the inquiry of her care at Wagga and Tumut hospitals after giving birth in 2020. She wasn't able to shower for nearly two days after not being advised of when it would be safe to do so, and endured a five-hour wait for patient transport before being transferred to a different hospital late in the evening.

"I did not want to go but they made me feel like I had no choice," she wrote.

"Even with the injuries sustained, I was made to walk through the hospital without the assistance of a wheelchair."

Pain medication was also not delivered after the transfer due to there not being a doctor present to dispense them, she said, and she ultimately left the hospital while being "of the opinion I would be better cared for at home".

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Anaesthetic had not yet set in for a woman who had rushed into an emergency C-section after earlier being induced - with staff not waiting for her husband's arrival when breaking her waters - when the surgeon began.

"The epidural had not taken effect when they cut into me The first cut caused me to scream immediately ... the surgeon then cut into me again," she told the inquiry.

"My husband tells me he and another person in the theatre had to grab me and hold me still as I was about to fall off the table."

She also reported hearing the surgeon and nurse laughing and the comment "that's not your best work" made as she was closed up.

While initially induced because indicators suggested her baby was abnormally large, her son was in the 50^th percentile across all measures and the experience meant her next birth - a vastly different, "entirely positive" experience - was a planned C-section.

"I am told I will likely never be able to experience natural birth," she submitted.

"This causes me significant distress and the fact is, I will likely never know what could have happened, nor will any medical person engage in this conversation with me."

Another harrowing experience outlined how one woman ended up reporting a midwife who snapped at her while in the early stages of labour before conducting a "quite rough" manual check which had the patient begging for it to stop.

The ordeal of the lead-up treatment and the delivery - including a claim a student midwife laughed as they handed the baby to her and and said she had initially given the infant to another woman - plagued the now mother-of-three, who developed post-natal depression, struggled to bond with her daughter and told the inquiry she feels "robbed of moments that should have been special".

"My daughter had no ID tags on yet, I had barely seen her face and now she was given to a stranger," the submission said.

"I can't really remember the days that followed, the first meeting of my daughter to her siblings and family, I look back at photos and I just have no idea."

They reported ongoing health problems but are too fearful to seek medical treatment.

"I have trauma, I have PTSD and anxiety and I would never wish this experience on anyone," they said.

Just who will give evidence at the Wagga hearing will be determined after the submission period's closure, Ms Hurst said.

"We will aim to hear from a broad range of individuals including women who have experienced birth trauma, health care professionals and advocacy groups," Ms Hurst said.

"We cannot have a situation where women do not feel safe giving birth. This inquiry will no doubt start a much broader conversation that hasn't been had before in this context."

NSW Health has already heard from more than 18,000 members of the community, consumers and clinicians for its blueprint for action on maternity care in the state, they said.

"For many women [birth] is positive and empowering however NSW Health acknowledges that some women may experience birth trauma. This trauma may be physical and/or psychological and it may have lasting effects on her mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being," the department said in a statement.

"NSW Health heard through this extensive consultation how pivotal it is for all women, their babies and families to receive culturally respectful, evidence-based and equitable maternity care that improves their experiences, health and wellbeing outcomes.

"This commitment is outlined in the Blueprint, and NSW Health will work to strengthen and improve maternity care to ensure all women in NSW receive this high standard of care no matter where they live."

Submissions can be viewed and lodged at parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries. The consultation period closes on August 15.

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