The Commission is partnering with Birth Trauma Australia to improve the recognition of birth-related trauma and strengthen care pathways for women and families across Queensland.
Birth-related trauma is increasingly recognised as a significant health issue. Research indicates that up to one in three women experience their birth as traumatic, with some experiencing lasting impacts on their mental health and wellbeing.
General Practitioners (GPs) are often the first health professionals women and families turn to after birth. However, many women report that birth trauma can go unrecognised in primary care settings, making it difficult to access timely and appropriate support.
What we’re doing
Through this partnership, Birth Trauma Australia will expand its ThinkNatal™ GP education program, providing trauma-informed clinical guidance, compassionate communication tools and clearer referral pathways to specialised support.
The program aims to strengthen GPs confidence in recognising and responding to birth-related trauma, enable earlier identification of psychological distress, and improve referral pathways to perinatal and mental health services.
This partnership complements broader efforts across Queensland’s health system to improve maternal safety and strengthen culturally safe care. It supports more respectful, person-centred care for all birthing families, particularly those from First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse communities, before, during and after birth.
How does this support reform?
This initiative supports the implementation of The Queensland Trauma Strategy 2024–2029, which aims to strengthen trauma-informed practice across the health and human services system.
Birth-related trauma can affect a person’s mental health, relationships and engagement with health services. Improving how trauma is recognised and responded to in primary care settings is an important step in ensuring people receive compassionate, timely and appropriate support.
The initiative also contributes to broader reform efforts to build a more responsive and person-centred system where lived experience is recognised, care is culturally safe, and people are supported to recover and thrive.
Learn more about the ThinkNatal™ GP program and partnership: https://birthtrauma.teachable.com/
Further information
If you would like to find out more about this work, you are welcome to get in touch with the Commission via info@qmhc.qld.gov.au.
