THE FOCUS ON REDUCING INSTANCES OF BIRTH-TRAUMA THROUGH TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE Preventing birth trauma needs to be shared responsibility across entire maternity care system
With
Dr Nisha Khot, Obstetrician / Gynaecologist &
President, The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) &
Clinical Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,
Bayside Health Peninsula, Victoria
SEGMENT
Filmed in Melbourne | July 2026
Leading into Birth Trauma Week 2026, in an interview with Australian Health Journal, Dr Nisha Khot, President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG), highlighted the growing focus on reducing birth trauma through trauma-informed, multidisciplinary care.
Reflecting on her career, she described an unexpected path into obstetrics and gynaecology, driven by a commitment to improving women’s health despite the specialty often being overlooked. As she explained, “Women’s health has always been something that hasn’t been adequately recognised and funded.”
Dr Khot discussed the increasing recognition of birth trauma following recent inquiries in New South Wales and the United Kingdom, which revealed that many women experience not only physical injury but also lasting psychological trauma. She emphasised that birth trauma is rarely the result of an individual’s actions, but rather reflects broader systemic issues requiring coordinated responses across maternity services.
A key initiative has been RANZCOG’s 2025 pilot program delivering interdisciplinary workshops to maternity teams across Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia. The program focused on recognising, responding to and managing birth trauma, with positive feedback supporting the case for a national rollout.
Dr Khot stressed that improving informed consent, communication and education must remain central to future reforms, bringing together obstetricians, midwives, general practitioners, allied health professionals and mental health clinicians. Looking ahead, she called for sustained investment in women’s health research and services, stating, “I would like to see more funding for women’s health.”
Source: Adapted from transcript
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Michelle Fenwick – Northern Health
The outskirts of Melbourne is experiencing significant population growth over the next 10 years and Northern Health has taken preemptive steps to ensure the supply of new talented healthcare staff as well as develop the culture of the workplace.
Michelle Fenwick, the Executive Director of Northern Health spoke with our reporter Anne Dao on the challenges of this urban growth over the past 3 years. By 2031 the region is expected to increase in population by 63%. Added to this is hiring and training the right workforce to align with the clinical care needs of people coming into the healthcare centres.
Culture is forming in a growing organisation with approximately 70% of staff having been at Northern Health less than 4 years. However there is opportunity for clinical staff to accelerate their career in such an environment
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Belonging in a medical device company
Edith de Boer is the HR Director for Zimmer Biomet in Australia and New Zealand. Her career originally was in telecommunications and consulting in Europe. After leaving The Netherlands, Edith worked into the Australian medical research industry, before moving into a human resources role at Zimmer Biomet. Edith spoke to Australian Health Journal about her role and the organisation.
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Navigating the health system for mental health support
Senior professionals and middle managers are experiencing increased burnout and stress, leading to higher alcohol consumption, and there is a need for better support and resources for mental health and addiction treatment in Australia, according to Ruth Limkin, Founder of The Banyans and Chief Development Officer at parent Sana Health Group.
