Louise Thompson (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

It was completely heartbreaking to learn more about Louise Thompson’s horrific birth experience this week, but what is even more shocking is the fact that so many other women across the UK have experienced similar.

The former Made In Chelsea star has experienced ongoing health issues since her traumatic birth in 2021, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

She has bravely shared her story to raise awareness of the plight of many mothers – an estimated 30,000 women are impacted by birth trauma every year.

As part of her campaign, she has launched a petition to appoint a Maternity Commissioner in the UK to spearhead the improvement of maternity care for mums and babies. At the time of writing, it had almost 130,000 signatures.

The government says there are “no current plans to appoint a Maternity Commissioner”, but this role – someone who stands up for those being failed by the system – is desperately needed.

We have now seen countless reports exposing just how dire the state of maternity care really is – from learning that since 2019 the NHS has faced an estimated........

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