Becoming a mum left me incontinent - we need to talk about birth injuries

"“I suffered my first episode of total bowel incontinence the very next day, but I was discharged without any follow-up or support,” said Geeta, from London. “From then 'til now I live with pain and incontinence and that's something that's really not talked about widely - with women generally, and certainly within certain communities.”"

"“I stopped going out, didn't see my friends and really the saddest part was at that point I lost my career that I'd worked for nearly a decade to achieve - and that's”"

"Bowel or anal incontinence - when you cannot control when you poo - affects 20% of women and is most commonly caused by a birth injury, according to the British Journal of General Practice."

"Rhi, 49, who has the same symptoms, has kept them a secret from her children, fearing her son might feel responsible for the injury she sustained during his birth."

Bowel or anal incontinence, where a person cannot control when they pass stool, affects about 20% of women and is commonly caused by birth injury. Geeta Nayar experienced a third-degree tear after a forceps delivery and developed total bowel incontinence the next day. She was discharged home without follow-up or support, leading to years of pain, housebound living, fear, and shame. She also lost her career and felt the condition was not widely discussed, including within certain communities. Rhi, who has similar symptoms, kept the issue secret from her children due to fear her son would feel responsible. New research in Wales aims to raise awareness of birth injuries and identify barriers to seeking help, working with marginalized communities.

Read at www.bbc.com