Only 285 birth injury claims, education needed

Just 285 ACC claims for maternal birth injuries have been accepted in the six weeks since the ‘‘biggest’’ law change to the scheme in recent years came into effect.

The Accident Compensation (Maternal Birth Injury and Other Matters) Amendment Act was predicted to help up to 18,000 more new mothers per year access treatment for childbirthrelated injuries after it came into force on October 1.

However, ACC has acknowledged that the actual number of claims covered by the legislation so far was ‘‘less than modelling had suggested’’.

The figures did not come as a surprise to Caitlin Day, of Auckland’s The Vagina Physio, who had spoken to midwives who seemed ‘‘quite confused’’ about what injuries were covered. ‘‘It sounds like they’re only making claims for severe injuries, those third or fourth degree tears . . . [even though] any sort of tear will be covered.’’

After discussing the issue with her colleagues Day, who specialises in rehabilitation of the pelvic floor area, was taking a different approach.

Sometimes, women would book a ‘‘postnatal WOF’’ – a check up for their pelvic floor after giving birth – and during the appointment would disclose they had a birth injury, but did not experience ongoing problems. In such a case, it was often still in the woman’s best interest for a birth healthcare provider to lodge a claim on her behalf, Day said.

‘‘That person might start to get symptoms related to that tear in three years’ time. It’s not our job to decide whether ACC will cover an injury. It’s up to ACC to decide.’’

More education and clarity from ACC for healthcare providers about the specifics of birth injury coverage could help make it more accessible, Day said.

Of the 285 birth injury claims accepted since October 1, all except 37 related to perineal tears, the organisation’s own data showed. Just 26 claims related to the most minor grade of tears – ‘‘first degree’’, and four were for the most severe ‘‘fourth degree’’ tears.

ACC’S deputy chief executive of service delivery Amanda Malu said in a statement that knowledge of the coverage of birth injuries was ‘‘mixed’’ among healthcare practitioners and ‘‘relatively low’’ for new mothers.

In order to raise awareness it was hosting webinars for healthcare providers, working with professional bodies and producing educational resources for support providers.