Calls for hospitals to ban ‘dangerous’ forceps from births

There are fresh calls for Australian hospitals to ban the use of forceps from childbirth following an increased number of painful vaginal injuries.

The ABC exclusively reports that mothers are enduring deep and life-changing vaginal tearing that continues to impact various aspects of their life long after giving birth. As a result, the Australasian Birth Trauma Association support group is calling for a permanent ban on the use of forceps.

The group, which aims to provide support and awareness surrounding various aspects of birth trauma, also says it would be happy if the use of forceps were at least reduced.

According to the ABC, Australian Medical Association (AMA) president Michael Gannon has defended the use of forceps, noting they’ve been used for hundreds of years and have prevented hundreds of thousands of deaths of mothers and babies during childbirth.

Many women who have been injured are now seeking legal action, echoing the ban of pelvic mesh devices that were outlawed in Australia last year. An investigation found that large numbers of women were left in excruciating pain after being fitted with the devices.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced the ban in December.

“The TGA has today decided to remove transvaginal mesh products whose sole use is the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse via transvaginal implantation from the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG),” a statement read at the time.

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“This follows a review by the TGA of the latest published international studies and an examination of the clinical evidence for each product included in the ARTG and supplied in Australia. Based on this new information, and since the publication by the TGA of the Results of review into urogynaecological surgical mesh implants, the TGA is of the belief that the benefits of using transvaginal mesh products in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse do not outweigh the risks these products pose to patients.”

The mesh devices were fitted in women who faced an array of problems after hysterectomies, birth and pregnancies and in many cases, those who suffered forceps injuries.

Women are now calling for safer methods of child extraction to be implemented, such as the Australian-designed Omni cup that can safely grip a baby’s head and remove it without having as much of an impact on the mother’s vagina.

What do you think? Should hospitals and doctors be forced to ban dangerous forceps from births? Have you suffered an injury as a result of a forceps injury?