The hidden economic cost of birth trauma and PTSD
A new report from City St George’s, University of London has provided the first estimates of the economic impact of childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the UK, using data from the MAP Alliance Study.
Around one in 20 women develop PTSD following childbirth, while many more describe their experience of giving birth as traumatic. The personal impact on women and their families can be profound, but the consequences also extend to healthcare services, employment and the wider economy.
Our new report, Counting the cost of birth trauma: the economic impact of postnatal PTSD in the UK, finds that healthcare and support service costs for women with childbirth-related PTSD were 2.5 times higher between six and 12 months after birth than for women without PTSD. Women with PTSD were also less likely to return to work by 12 months after giving birth: 53% had returned to work, compared with 68% of women without PTSD symptoms.
Despite their greater need for support, more than half of women with PTSD reported receiving no referral to mental health services.
The findings suggest that preventing traumatic births and improving identification and treatment of PTSD could have important benefits for women, families and the NHS. Based on the number of births in NHS hospitals and current estimates of childbirth-related PTSD, the report estimates that preventing traumatic births and PTSD could potentially save the NHS around £26 million each year.
The report calls for routine screening and treatment for PTSD during pregnancy and after birth, improved access to specialist perinatal mental health services, and better training for healthcare professionals in trauma-informed care.
Birth trauma is often discussed in terms of its devastating personal consequences. This report shows that there is also an important economic case for action. Investing in prevention, early identification and effective treatment could improve the wellbeing of women and families while also reducing pressure on healthcare services.
The report was launched at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Birth Trauma event on 10 September 2026.
