WA mum campaigning after sudden death of her two children
Ms Green spoke to the Sound Telegraph last year about the death of her children Sonny and Airlie from a rare genetic mutation called PPA2, which has been identified in less than 100 people worldwide.
In 2021, Ms Green and her husband Leon experienced every parent's worst nightmare when their first child Sonny died suddenly, aged just nine months.
Ms Green had taken Sonny to Rockingham hospital to be checked out but just 30 minutes later he went into cardiac arrest. He was transferred to Perth Children's Hospital but died a short time later.
The coroner ruled Sonny's cause of death as unknown and it wasn't until their daughter Airlie was born in 2022 that they found out why. Jonathan and Rachael Casella weren't told they could undergo genetic screening before conceiving. Credit: AAP
When Airlie was just five months old, she began suffering a familiar set of symptoms and then went into cardiac arrest.
Medical staff at Rockingham hospital managed to bring her back and Airlie was transferred to PCH.
Doctors could not find anything structurally wrong with Airlie's heart, so a series of genetic tests were ordered.
It was these tests that led to Airlie being diagnosed with PPA2 and the reason for Sonny's death a year earlier being discovered.
Airlie died in May 2024 after a cardiac arrest, aged just 18 months.
Had genetic testing been performed on Sonny, the gene mutation would have been picked up and the Greens would have been warned about the risk to their future children.
'Unknown' is listed as the cause of death for about 40 per cent of all people aged under 20 who die suddenly, but about 27 per cent of all unexplained sudden cardiac deaths in young people involved genetic mutations.
For this reason, Ms Green is now spearheading the Coroner's Project with Rachael Casella by her side.
It is horrible to even think about your child being cut up for an autopsy, and a simple genetic test could have provided that answer.
In 2017, Ms Casella's daughter Mackenzie was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy and died before her first birthday.
Ms Casella and her husband Jonathan began campaigning to make genetic carrier testing free for all Australians, and in 2018 the Mackenzie's Mission research project was announced.
In WA, genetic testing is already used by the State Coroner's office but only 'if required'.
Other States and Territories have their own rules around performing genetic testing but it is not mandatory.
Ms Green said numerous parents had contacted her since she shared her story last year.
'A lot of them didn't get answers when their child died or are still awaiting answers, and then once they've read our story, they found out that genetic testing isn't always done,' she said.
'A lot of people assume genetic testing is done.'
Ms Green points to Kathleen Folbigg, who in 2003 was wrongly convicted of murdering her four infant children, as an example of where genetic testing could have prevented years of heartbreak.
'It breaks my heart just thinking about her, because that could have easily been me if my children had died in the home. I could have potentially gone down the same path,' Ms Green said.
'Already as the parent, you're sitting there, questioning, blaming yourself every moment.
'And when the coronial police come, they're taking photos, statements, questioning you and I don't think they try to make you feel that way, but you do automatically start going 'oh my God, I'm a criminal'.
'They've got to do their investigation, but the last thing you want to do is give a statement or watch them take photos of your child for their autopsy.'
Ms Green said consent and the cost of genetic testing had been given as reasons why it was not routinely offered after a sudden death.
'You know, with both my children, they've removed their brains and they sent them off to America, and I don't understand why they did that, because we knew what happened,' she said.
'And then imagining the cost of that is crazy. And you're just like, why? It is horrible to even think about your child being cut up for an autopsy, and a simple genetic test could have provided that answer.'
The cost of genetic testing is estimated to be about $4000 but decreases every year.
Last year, then-health minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said WA was looking at updating its model of care, but no progress or announcements have been made since.
Ms Green and Ms Casella have a Change.com petition pushing for Federal, State and Territory governments to make changes to the coronial process.
The Coroners Project is supported by several organisations, including Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Red Nose Australia, Australian Genomics and Mito Foundation.
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The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Birth trauma preventable yet affects too many women
Australian women who give birth are experiencing "obscene" rates of trauma as advocates call for universal continuity of care, midwifery leadership, antenatal education and respectful healthcare practices. But experts say trauma can be prevented and is not a given when it comes to birth. Giving birth is one of the most profound and life-changing events in a woman's life and should be predominantly positive. Yet one in three women will experience birth trauma, either physically or emotionally, affecting their lives for years to come. Birth Trauma Awareness Week is held each year to highlight the issue and provide support to women and their families who have experienced it. It is also an opportunity to examine maternity care and ensure better outcomes for women and their babies. Jess Pigram suffered from a life-threatening postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth to her daughter Shiloh in 2019. She had to undergo two surgeries shortly after her birth and ended up losing 3.6 litres of blood - more than 60 per cent of her body's total amount - which resulted in her needing multiple transfusions. "I'd just had my baby and all of a sudden there's all these people and I'm being rushed into the operation room ... there was a point where I thought I was going to die," she tells AAP. While the physical recovery has been complicated by permanent pelvic floor damage, the mental trauma from the experience has also stuck with Ms Pigram for years. It is often most acute around the time of her daughter's birthday which can be difficult to navigate. "When you go through trauma, you never forget it," she says. "I'll never be the same person I was, but that's okay because I have my daughter." Ms Pigram said her wife Katie, who was also mistreated by hospital staff during Shiloh's birth, has been instrumental in her recovery. Connecting with Birth Trauma Australia, the peak national charity dedicated to supporting women, people, fathers, partners and families after birth-related trauma, was also hugely important. But looking back, Ms Pigram wishes she'd known how many women experience trauma during birth. "It was so isolating at the time and I felt like no one understood," she says. "I wasn't aware that one in three women experience birth trauma and it took a long time to realise how many other women are affected." Rates of trauma indicate maternity services are doing something seriously wrong, former president of the Australian College of Midwives Jenny Gamble says. "It's obscene that 30 per cent of women report that they had a traumatic childbirth," she says. "The system is scaring and traumatising women about having a baby." Studies have found women who have a traumatic birth experience will subsequently choose to either birth completely outside the system, invest in a private midwife or seek a planned caesarean. Some may even decide not to have another baby after a previous traumatic experience. A landmark inquiry into birth trauma by the NSW parliament attracted international attention as well as thousands of submissions from patients, doctors, midwives and experts around Australia. The final report released in 2024 found the rates of birth trauma were unacceptable and made 43 recommendations, including an overhaul of the health system. Chief among the recommendations was the need for accessible continuity of midwifery care, which experts have been calling for for years. Hospitals that provide continuity of care, where a woman has access to the same midwife throughout her pregnancy, during the birth and postnatally, often have better outcomes for the mother, baby and care provider. It's also more cost effective. "We have this fantastic evidence that shows what needs to change but we have all these road blocks," midwife and Monash University lecturer Joy Kloester said. "Birth trauma can be prevented, it's not a given, and the best way to prevent it is continuity of care." Queensland recently appointed a chief midwifery officer, which Professor Gamble said was something all states and territories needed. "We need to stop treating having a baby like an acute medical event," she said. "It's a physiological event that requires a social and primary model of healthcare." Research shows women who consider their birth experience positive do so not because of what happened medically but because they were heard and respected throughout the process. For those who do experience trauma it's often because they felt like a body on a table. "It's not about avoiding intervention but about ensuring the woman feels like the central person in that care ... being informed and respected is so essential," Ms Kloester says. Birth trauma occurs on a spectrum, with obstetric violence at the extreme end. One in 10 women experience obstetric violence in birth, recognised by the United Nations as a form of gendered violence. Bernadette Lack is a midwife of almost 20 years and also works in pelvic health supporting women through her business Core and Floor Restore. Her practice includes birth debriefs and she says many women apologise to her for becoming emotional when they share their stories. "You carry your birth experiences with you until the day you die," Ms Lack says. "Birth isn't just about a baby being born, it's about a mother being born too. "Trauma isn't a memory, it's a reliving ... when people have experienced previous trauma, it can easily be triggered again by the smallest thing: a smell, a sound, a touch, a tone." Recovering can also be financially inaccessible to many women who may have to see multiple care providers to address mental and physical trauma. "Healing from birth can require huge investment," Ms Lack says. But she wants women to know that it's never too late to begin the process of healing. "There's often a lot of grief and people can feel scared to lean into their feelings (but) I believe the body is so capable of healing when you meet with the mind and body together," she says. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Australian women who give birth are experiencing "obscene" rates of trauma as advocates call for universal continuity of care, midwifery leadership, antenatal education and respectful healthcare practices. But experts say trauma can be prevented and is not a given when it comes to birth. Giving birth is one of the most profound and life-changing events in a woman's life and should be predominantly positive. Yet one in three women will experience birth trauma, either physically or emotionally, affecting their lives for years to come. Birth Trauma Awareness Week is held each year to highlight the issue and provide support to women and their families who have experienced it. It is also an opportunity to examine maternity care and ensure better outcomes for women and their babies. Jess Pigram suffered from a life-threatening postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth to her daughter Shiloh in 2019. She had to undergo two surgeries shortly after her birth and ended up losing 3.6 litres of blood - more than 60 per cent of her body's total amount - which resulted in her needing multiple transfusions. "I'd just had my baby and all of a sudden there's all these people and I'm being rushed into the operation room ... there was a point where I thought I was going to die," she tells AAP. While the physical recovery has been complicated by permanent pelvic floor damage, the mental trauma from the experience has also stuck with Ms Pigram for years. It is often most acute around the time of her daughter's birthday which can be difficult to navigate. "When you go through trauma, you never forget it," she says. "I'll never be the same person I was, but that's okay because I have my daughter." Ms Pigram said her wife Katie, who was also mistreated by hospital staff during Shiloh's birth, has been instrumental in her recovery. Connecting with Birth Trauma Australia, the peak national charity dedicated to supporting women, people, fathers, partners and families after birth-related trauma, was also hugely important. But looking back, Ms Pigram wishes she'd known how many women experience trauma during birth. "It was so isolating at the time and I felt like no one understood," she says. "I wasn't aware that one in three women experience birth trauma and it took a long time to realise how many other women are affected." Rates of trauma indicate maternity services are doing something seriously wrong, former president of the Australian College of Midwives Jenny Gamble says. "It's obscene that 30 per cent of women report that they had a traumatic childbirth," she says. "The system is scaring and traumatising women about having a baby." Studies have found women who have a traumatic birth experience will subsequently choose to either birth completely outside the system, invest in a private midwife or seek a planned caesarean. Some may even decide not to have another baby after a previous traumatic experience. A landmark inquiry into birth trauma by the NSW parliament attracted international attention as well as thousands of submissions from patients, doctors, midwives and experts around Australia. The final report released in 2024 found the rates of birth trauma were unacceptable and made 43 recommendations, including an overhaul of the health system. Chief among the recommendations was the need for accessible continuity of midwifery care, which experts have been calling for for years. Hospitals that provide continuity of care, where a woman has access to the same midwife throughout her pregnancy, during the birth and postnatally, often have better outcomes for the mother, baby and care provider. It's also more cost effective. "We have this fantastic evidence that shows what needs to change but we have all these road blocks," midwife and Monash University lecturer Joy Kloester said. "Birth trauma can be prevented, it's not a given, and the best way to prevent it is continuity of care." Queensland recently appointed a chief midwifery officer, which Professor Gamble said was something all states and territories needed. "We need to stop treating having a baby like an acute medical event," she said. "It's a physiological event that requires a social and primary model of healthcare." Research shows women who consider their birth experience positive do so not because of what happened medically but because they were heard and respected throughout the process. For those who do experience trauma it's often because they felt like a body on a table. "It's not about avoiding intervention but about ensuring the woman feels like the central person in that care ... being informed and respected is so essential," Ms Kloester says. Birth trauma occurs on a spectrum, with obstetric violence at the extreme end. One in 10 women experience obstetric violence in birth, recognised by the United Nations as a form of gendered violence. Bernadette Lack is a midwife of almost 20 years and also works in pelvic health supporting women through her business Core and Floor Restore. Her practice includes birth debriefs and she says many women apologise to her for becoming emotional when they share their stories. "You carry your birth experiences with you until the day you die," Ms Lack says. "Birth isn't just about a baby being born, it's about a mother being born too. "Trauma isn't a memory, it's a reliving ... when people have experienced previous trauma, it can easily be triggered again by the smallest thing: a smell, a sound, a touch, a tone." Recovering can also be financially inaccessible to many women who may have to see multiple care providers to address mental and physical trauma. "Healing from birth can require huge investment," Ms Lack says. But she wants women to know that it's never too late to begin the process of healing. "There's often a lot of grief and people can feel scared to lean into their feelings (but) I believe the body is so capable of healing when you meet with the mind and body together," she says. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Australian women who give birth are experiencing "obscene" rates of trauma as advocates call for universal continuity of care, midwifery leadership, antenatal education and respectful healthcare practices. But experts say trauma can be prevented and is not a given when it comes to birth. Giving birth is one of the most profound and life-changing events in a woman's life and should be predominantly positive. Yet one in three women will experience birth trauma, either physically or emotionally, affecting their lives for years to come. Birth Trauma Awareness Week is held each year to highlight the issue and provide support to women and their families who have experienced it. It is also an opportunity to examine maternity care and ensure better outcomes for women and their babies. Jess Pigram suffered from a life-threatening postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth to her daughter Shiloh in 2019. She had to undergo two surgeries shortly after her birth and ended up losing 3.6 litres of blood - more than 60 per cent of her body's total amount - which resulted in her needing multiple transfusions. "I'd just had my baby and all of a sudden there's all these people and I'm being rushed into the operation room ... there was a point where I thought I was going to die," she tells AAP. While the physical recovery has been complicated by permanent pelvic floor damage, the mental trauma from the experience has also stuck with Ms Pigram for years. It is often most acute around the time of her daughter's birthday which can be difficult to navigate. "When you go through trauma, you never forget it," she says. "I'll never be the same person I was, but that's okay because I have my daughter." Ms Pigram said her wife Katie, who was also mistreated by hospital staff during Shiloh's birth, has been instrumental in her recovery. Connecting with Birth Trauma Australia, the peak national charity dedicated to supporting women, people, fathers, partners and families after birth-related trauma, was also hugely important. But looking back, Ms Pigram wishes she'd known how many women experience trauma during birth. "It was so isolating at the time and I felt like no one understood," she says. "I wasn't aware that one in three women experience birth trauma and it took a long time to realise how many other women are affected." Rates of trauma indicate maternity services are doing something seriously wrong, former president of the Australian College of Midwives Jenny Gamble says. "It's obscene that 30 per cent of women report that they had a traumatic childbirth," she says. "The system is scaring and traumatising women about having a baby." Studies have found women who have a traumatic birth experience will subsequently choose to either birth completely outside the system, invest in a private midwife or seek a planned caesarean. Some may even decide not to have another baby after a previous traumatic experience. A landmark inquiry into birth trauma by the NSW parliament attracted international attention as well as thousands of submissions from patients, doctors, midwives and experts around Australia. The final report released in 2024 found the rates of birth trauma were unacceptable and made 43 recommendations, including an overhaul of the health system. Chief among the recommendations was the need for accessible continuity of midwifery care, which experts have been calling for for years. Hospitals that provide continuity of care, where a woman has access to the same midwife throughout her pregnancy, during the birth and postnatally, often have better outcomes for the mother, baby and care provider. It's also more cost effective. "We have this fantastic evidence that shows what needs to change but we have all these road blocks," midwife and Monash University lecturer Joy Kloester said. "Birth trauma can be prevented, it's not a given, and the best way to prevent it is continuity of care." Queensland recently appointed a chief midwifery officer, which Professor Gamble said was something all states and territories needed. "We need to stop treating having a baby like an acute medical event," she said. "It's a physiological event that requires a social and primary model of healthcare." Research shows women who consider their birth experience positive do so not because of what happened medically but because they were heard and respected throughout the process. For those who do experience trauma it's often because they felt like a body on a table. "It's not about avoiding intervention but about ensuring the woman feels like the central person in that care ... being informed and respected is so essential," Ms Kloester says. Birth trauma occurs on a spectrum, with obstetric violence at the extreme end. One in 10 women experience obstetric violence in birth, recognised by the United Nations as a form of gendered violence. Bernadette Lack is a midwife of almost 20 years and also works in pelvic health supporting women through her business Core and Floor Restore. Her practice includes birth debriefs and she says many women apologise to her for becoming emotional when they share their stories. "You carry your birth experiences with you until the day you die," Ms Lack says. "Birth isn't just about a baby being born, it's about a mother being born too. "Trauma isn't a memory, it's a reliving ... when people have experienced previous trauma, it can easily be triggered again by the smallest thing: a smell, a sound, a touch, a tone." Recovering can also be financially inaccessible to many women who may have to see multiple care providers to address mental and physical trauma. "Healing from birth can require huge investment," Ms Lack says. But she wants women to know that it's never too late to begin the process of healing. "There's often a lot of grief and people can feel scared to lean into their feelings (but) I believe the body is so capable of healing when you meet with the mind and body together," she says. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Australian women who give birth are experiencing "obscene" rates of trauma as advocates call for universal continuity of care, midwifery leadership, antenatal education and respectful healthcare practices. But experts say trauma can be prevented and is not a given when it comes to birth. Giving birth is one of the most profound and life-changing events in a woman's life and should be predominantly positive. Yet one in three women will experience birth trauma, either physically or emotionally, affecting their lives for years to come. Birth Trauma Awareness Week is held each year to highlight the issue and provide support to women and their families who have experienced it. It is also an opportunity to examine maternity care and ensure better outcomes for women and their babies. Jess Pigram suffered from a life-threatening postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth to her daughter Shiloh in 2019. She had to undergo two surgeries shortly after her birth and ended up losing 3.6 litres of blood - more than 60 per cent of her body's total amount - which resulted in her needing multiple transfusions. "I'd just had my baby and all of a sudden there's all these people and I'm being rushed into the operation room ... there was a point where I thought I was going to die," she tells AAP. While the physical recovery has been complicated by permanent pelvic floor damage, the mental trauma from the experience has also stuck with Ms Pigram for years. It is often most acute around the time of her daughter's birthday which can be difficult to navigate. "When you go through trauma, you never forget it," she says. "I'll never be the same person I was, but that's okay because I have my daughter." Ms Pigram said her wife Katie, who was also mistreated by hospital staff during Shiloh's birth, has been instrumental in her recovery. Connecting with Birth Trauma Australia, the peak national charity dedicated to supporting women, people, fathers, partners and families after birth-related trauma, was also hugely important. But looking back, Ms Pigram wishes she'd known how many women experience trauma during birth. "It was so isolating at the time and I felt like no one understood," she says. "I wasn't aware that one in three women experience birth trauma and it took a long time to realise how many other women are affected." Rates of trauma indicate maternity services are doing something seriously wrong, former president of the Australian College of Midwives Jenny Gamble says. "It's obscene that 30 per cent of women report that they had a traumatic childbirth," she says. "The system is scaring and traumatising women about having a baby." Studies have found women who have a traumatic birth experience will subsequently choose to either birth completely outside the system, invest in a private midwife or seek a planned caesarean. Some may even decide not to have another baby after a previous traumatic experience. A landmark inquiry into birth trauma by the NSW parliament attracted international attention as well as thousands of submissions from patients, doctors, midwives and experts around Australia. The final report released in 2024 found the rates of birth trauma were unacceptable and made 43 recommendations, including an overhaul of the health system. Chief among the recommendations was the need for accessible continuity of midwifery care, which experts have been calling for for years. Hospitals that provide continuity of care, where a woman has access to the same midwife throughout her pregnancy, during the birth and postnatally, often have better outcomes for the mother, baby and care provider. It's also more cost effective. "We have this fantastic evidence that shows what needs to change but we have all these road blocks," midwife and Monash University lecturer Joy Kloester said. "Birth trauma can be prevented, it's not a given, and the best way to prevent it is continuity of care." Queensland recently appointed a chief midwifery officer, which Professor Gamble said was something all states and territories needed. "We need to stop treating having a baby like an acute medical event," she said. "It's a physiological event that requires a social and primary model of healthcare." Research shows women who consider their birth experience positive do so not because of what happened medically but because they were heard and respected throughout the process. For those who do experience trauma it's often because they felt like a body on a table. "It's not about avoiding intervention but about ensuring the woman feels like the central person in that care ... being informed and respected is so essential," Ms Kloester says. Birth trauma occurs on a spectrum, with obstetric violence at the extreme end. One in 10 women experience obstetric violence in birth, recognised by the United Nations as a form of gendered violence. Bernadette Lack is a midwife of almost 20 years and also works in pelvic health supporting women through her business Core and Floor Restore. Her practice includes birth debriefs and she says many women apologise to her for becoming emotional when they share their stories. "You carry your birth experiences with you until the day you die," Ms Lack says. "Birth isn't just about a baby being born, it's about a mother being born too. "Trauma isn't a memory, it's a reliving ... when people have experienced previous trauma, it can easily be triggered again by the smallest thing: a smell, a sound, a touch, a tone." Recovering can also be financially inaccessible to many women who may have to see multiple care providers to address mental and physical trauma. "Healing from birth can require huge investment," Ms Lack says. But she wants women to know that it's never too late to begin the process of healing. "There's often a lot of grief and people can feel scared to lean into their feelings (but) I believe the body is so capable of healing when you meet with the mind and body together," she says. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Mushrooms to mice: our fears of nature are costing us
If you've ever steered clear of a spider, refused to manhandle a mushroom or opted out of an ocean dip because of sharks, you're not alone. These aversive reactions to the natural world - known as biophobias - are surprisingly widespread and they're shaping more than just our fears. One-in-five Australians have a biophobia and they are having an enormous impact on human health, wildlife survival and environmental sustainability. And while some fears serve a protective purpose, many biophobias are irrational. "We experience anxiety, fear, disgust when we don't need to," says Professor Melissa Norberg, a psychologist at Macquarie University, co-author of the article Beyond mental well-being: A One Health perspective on biophobias. "So yes, sometimes it's good to be anxious when there's a funnel web ... but do we need to be wearing gloves in our houses to protect us from spiders? No." Prof Norberg says disgust in particular plays a major role in food-related biophobias. "Disgust is often about disease," she explains. "So the dangerous aspect is, 'I might eat something that could make me very ill or could kill me or there could be a contamination somewhere ... that might get me sick'." That fear is heightened by a growing disconnect from nature, reinforced by urbanisation. "I would not know how to survive if there was a zombie apocalypse without grocery stores," Prof Norberg admits. "I think that is a tragedy of becoming more urbanised ... now we've become so reliant on it that we don't know how to take care of ourselves as we would just 100 years ago." Fear of mushrooms, for instance, can be traced both to lack of education and cultural taboos. "People have promoted ideas like, you know, mushrooms can kill you," Prof Norberg says. "So we might not even eat mushrooms that are in the store." The recent mushroom poisoning trial of Erin Patterson, which gripped Australia for months, reignited some of those fears. The deaths of three people after eating a meal laced with death cap mushrooms stunned the nation and the case became a media obsession. It is rare events like this that can run the risk of distorting public perception and reinforcing phobic responses. According to Prof Norberg's recent research, biophobias are more common than people realise. As many as 22 per cent of individuals irrationally fear insects, spiders and other natural elements. Yet these fears rarely align with actual risks: bees and wasps kill far more Australians each year than sharks, snakes or spiders. Worse, unchecked biophobias have broader consequences. "We waste a lot of food in Australia," she says. "'Best Before' (dates) are not for the public … but many people interpret it … and throw things away." Her research argues that biophobias are not only under-recognised in mental health settings but can harm ecosystems too - prompting people to kill harmless animals or avoid the outdoors altogether. She believes a "One Health" approach, which connects human, animal and environmental wellbeing, is needed to address these impacts. "We need people in schools who do know how to forage, who do know how to rub two sticks together and make a fire," she says. "Having kids do that repeatedly ... that would be immensely helpful." If you've ever steered clear of a spider, refused to manhandle a mushroom or opted out of an ocean dip because of sharks, you're not alone. These aversive reactions to the natural world - known as biophobias - are surprisingly widespread and they're shaping more than just our fears. One-in-five Australians have a biophobia and they are having an enormous impact on human health, wildlife survival and environmental sustainability. And while some fears serve a protective purpose, many biophobias are irrational. "We experience anxiety, fear, disgust when we don't need to," says Professor Melissa Norberg, a psychologist at Macquarie University, co-author of the article Beyond mental well-being: A One Health perspective on biophobias. "So yes, sometimes it's good to be anxious when there's a funnel web ... but do we need to be wearing gloves in our houses to protect us from spiders? No." Prof Norberg says disgust in particular plays a major role in food-related biophobias. "Disgust is often about disease," she explains. "So the dangerous aspect is, 'I might eat something that could make me very ill or could kill me or there could be a contamination somewhere ... that might get me sick'." That fear is heightened by a growing disconnect from nature, reinforced by urbanisation. "I would not know how to survive if there was a zombie apocalypse without grocery stores," Prof Norberg admits. "I think that is a tragedy of becoming more urbanised ... now we've become so reliant on it that we don't know how to take care of ourselves as we would just 100 years ago." Fear of mushrooms, for instance, can be traced both to lack of education and cultural taboos. "People have promoted ideas like, you know, mushrooms can kill you," Prof Norberg says. "So we might not even eat mushrooms that are in the store." The recent mushroom poisoning trial of Erin Patterson, which gripped Australia for months, reignited some of those fears. The deaths of three people after eating a meal laced with death cap mushrooms stunned the nation and the case became a media obsession. It is rare events like this that can run the risk of distorting public perception and reinforcing phobic responses. According to Prof Norberg's recent research, biophobias are more common than people realise. As many as 22 per cent of individuals irrationally fear insects, spiders and other natural elements. Yet these fears rarely align with actual risks: bees and wasps kill far more Australians each year than sharks, snakes or spiders. Worse, unchecked biophobias have broader consequences. "We waste a lot of food in Australia," she says. "'Best Before' (dates) are not for the public … but many people interpret it … and throw things away." Her research argues that biophobias are not only under-recognised in mental health settings but can harm ecosystems too - prompting people to kill harmless animals or avoid the outdoors altogether. She believes a "One Health" approach, which connects human, animal and environmental wellbeing, is needed to address these impacts. "We need people in schools who do know how to forage, who do know how to rub two sticks together and make a fire," she says. "Having kids do that repeatedly ... that would be immensely helpful." If you've ever steered clear of a spider, refused to manhandle a mushroom or opted out of an ocean dip because of sharks, you're not alone. These aversive reactions to the natural world - known as biophobias - are surprisingly widespread and they're shaping more than just our fears. One-in-five Australians have a biophobia and they are having an enormous impact on human health, wildlife survival and environmental sustainability. And while some fears serve a protective purpose, many biophobias are irrational. "We experience anxiety, fear, disgust when we don't need to," says Professor Melissa Norberg, a psychologist at Macquarie University, co-author of the article Beyond mental well-being: A One Health perspective on biophobias. "So yes, sometimes it's good to be anxious when there's a funnel web ... but do we need to be wearing gloves in our houses to protect us from spiders? No." Prof Norberg says disgust in particular plays a major role in food-related biophobias. "Disgust is often about disease," she explains. "So the dangerous aspect is, 'I might eat something that could make me very ill or could kill me or there could be a contamination somewhere ... that might get me sick'." That fear is heightened by a growing disconnect from nature, reinforced by urbanisation. "I would not know how to survive if there was a zombie apocalypse without grocery stores," Prof Norberg admits. "I think that is a tragedy of becoming more urbanised ... now we've become so reliant on it that we don't know how to take care of ourselves as we would just 100 years ago." Fear of mushrooms, for instance, can be traced both to lack of education and cultural taboos. "People have promoted ideas like, you know, mushrooms can kill you," Prof Norberg says. "So we might not even eat mushrooms that are in the store." The recent mushroom poisoning trial of Erin Patterson, which gripped Australia for months, reignited some of those fears. The deaths of three people after eating a meal laced with death cap mushrooms stunned the nation and the case became a media obsession. It is rare events like this that can run the risk of distorting public perception and reinforcing phobic responses. According to Prof Norberg's recent research, biophobias are more common than people realise. As many as 22 per cent of individuals irrationally fear insects, spiders and other natural elements. Yet these fears rarely align with actual risks: bees and wasps kill far more Australians each year than sharks, snakes or spiders. Worse, unchecked biophobias have broader consequences. "We waste a lot of food in Australia," she says. "'Best Before' (dates) are not for the public … but many people interpret it … and throw things away." Her research argues that biophobias are not only under-recognised in mental health settings but can harm ecosystems too - prompting people to kill harmless animals or avoid the outdoors altogether. She believes a "One Health" approach, which connects human, animal and environmental wellbeing, is needed to address these impacts. "We need people in schools who do know how to forage, who do know how to rub two sticks together and make a fire," she says. "Having kids do that repeatedly ... that would be immensely helpful." If you've ever steered clear of a spider, refused to manhandle a mushroom or opted out of an ocean dip because of sharks, you're not alone. These aversive reactions to the natural world - known as biophobias - are surprisingly widespread and they're shaping more than just our fears. One-in-five Australians have a biophobia and they are having an enormous impact on human health, wildlife survival and environmental sustainability. And while some fears serve a protective purpose, many biophobias are irrational. "We experience anxiety, fear, disgust when we don't need to," says Professor Melissa Norberg, a psychologist at Macquarie University, co-author of the article Beyond mental well-being: A One Health perspective on biophobias. "So yes, sometimes it's good to be anxious when there's a funnel web ... but do we need to be wearing gloves in our houses to protect us from spiders? No." Prof Norberg says disgust in particular plays a major role in food-related biophobias. "Disgust is often about disease," she explains. "So the dangerous aspect is, 'I might eat something that could make me very ill or could kill me or there could be a contamination somewhere ... that might get me sick'." That fear is heightened by a growing disconnect from nature, reinforced by urbanisation. "I would not know how to survive if there was a zombie apocalypse without grocery stores," Prof Norberg admits. "I think that is a tragedy of becoming more urbanised ... now we've become so reliant on it that we don't know how to take care of ourselves as we would just 100 years ago." Fear of mushrooms, for instance, can be traced both to lack of education and cultural taboos. "People have promoted ideas like, you know, mushrooms can kill you," Prof Norberg says. "So we might not even eat mushrooms that are in the store." The recent mushroom poisoning trial of Erin Patterson, which gripped Australia for months, reignited some of those fears. The deaths of three people after eating a meal laced with death cap mushrooms stunned the nation and the case became a media obsession. It is rare events like this that can run the risk of distorting public perception and reinforcing phobic responses. According to Prof Norberg's recent research, biophobias are more common than people realise. As many as 22 per cent of individuals irrationally fear insects, spiders and other natural elements. Yet these fears rarely align with actual risks: bees and wasps kill far more Australians each year than sharks, snakes or spiders. Worse, unchecked biophobias have broader consequences. "We waste a lot of food in Australia," she says. "'Best Before' (dates) are not for the public … but many people interpret it … and throw things away." Her research argues that biophobias are not only under-recognised in mental health settings but can harm ecosystems too - prompting people to kill harmless animals or avoid the outdoors altogether. She believes a "One Health" approach, which connects human, animal and environmental wellbeing, is needed to address these impacts. "We need people in schools who do know how to forage, who do know how to rub two sticks together and make a fire," she says. "Having kids do that repeatedly ... that would be immensely helpful."
Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
Birth trauma preventable yet affects too many women
Australian women who give birth are experiencing "obscene" rates of trauma as advocates call for universal continuity of care, midwifery leadership, antenatal education and respectful healthcare practices. But experts say trauma can be prevented and is not a given when it comes to birth. Giving birth is one of the most profound and life-changing events in a woman's life and should be predominantly positive. Yet one in three women will experience birth trauma, either physically or emotionally, affecting their lives for years to come. Birth Trauma Awareness Week is held each year to highlight the issue and provide support to women and their families who have experienced it. It is also an opportunity to examine maternity care and ensure better outcomes for women and their babies. Jess Pigram suffered from a life-threatening postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth to her daughter Shiloh in 2019. She had to undergo two surgeries shortly after her birth and ended up losing 3.6 litres of blood - more than 60 per cent of her body's total amount - which resulted in her needing multiple transfusions. "I'd just had my baby and all of a sudden there's all these people and I'm being rushed into the operation room ... there was a point where I thought I was going to die," she tells AAP. While the physical recovery has been complicated by permanent pelvic floor damage, the mental trauma from the experience has also stuck with Ms Pigram for years. It is often most acute around the time of her daughter's birthday which can be difficult to navigate. "When you go through trauma, you never forget it," she says. "I'll never be the same person I was, but that's okay because I have my daughter." Ms Pigram said her wife Katie, who was also mistreated by hospital staff during Shiloh's birth, has been instrumental in her recovery. Connecting with Birth Trauma Australia, the peak national charity dedicated to supporting women, people, fathers, partners and families after birth-related trauma, was also hugely important. But looking back, Ms Pigram wishes she'd known how many women experience trauma during birth. "It was so isolating at the time and I felt like no one understood," she says. "I wasn't aware that one in three women experience birth trauma and it took a long time to realise how many other women are affected." Rates of trauma indicate maternity services are doing something seriously wrong, former president of the Australian College of Midwives Jenny Gamble says. "It's obscene that 30 per cent of women report that they had a traumatic childbirth," she says. "The system is scaring and traumatising women about having a baby." Studies have found women who have a traumatic birth experience will subsequently choose to either birth completely outside the system, invest in a private midwife or seek a planned caesarean. Some may even decide not to have another baby after a previous traumatic experience. A landmark inquiry into birth trauma by the NSW parliament attracted international attention as well as thousands of submissions from patients, doctors, midwives and experts around Australia. The final report released in 2024 found the rates of birth trauma were unacceptable and made 43 recommendations, including an overhaul of the health system. Chief among the recommendations was the need for accessible continuity of midwifery care, which experts have been calling for for years. Hospitals that provide continuity of care, where a woman has access to the same midwife throughout her pregnancy, during the birth and postnatally, often have better outcomes for the mother, baby and care provider. It's also more cost effective. "We have this fantastic evidence that shows what needs to change but we have all these road blocks," midwife and Monash University lecturer Joy Kloester said. "Birth trauma can be prevented, it's not a given, and the best way to prevent it is continuity of care." Queensland recently appointed a chief midwifery officer, which Professor Gamble said was something all states and territories needed. "We need to stop treating having a baby like an acute medical event," she said. "It's a physiological event that requires a social and primary model of healthcare." Research shows women who consider their birth experience positive do so not because of what happened medically but because they were heard and respected throughout the process. For those who do experience trauma it's often because they felt like a body on a table. "It's not about avoiding intervention but about ensuring the woman feels like the central person in that care ... being informed and respected is so essential," Ms Kloester says. Birth trauma occurs on a spectrum, with obstetric violence at the extreme end. One in 10 women experience obstetric violence in birth, recognised by the United Nations as a form of gendered violence. Bernadette Lack is a midwife of almost 20 years and also works in pelvic health supporting women through her business Core and Floor Restore. Her practice includes birth debriefs and she says many women apologise to her for becoming emotional when they share their stories. "You carry your birth experiences with you until the day you die," Ms Lack says. "Birth isn't just about a baby being born, it's about a mother being born too. "Trauma isn't a memory, it's a reliving ... when people have experienced previous trauma, it can easily be triggered again by the smallest thing: a smell, a sound, a touch, a tone." Recovering can also be financially inaccessible to many women who may have to see multiple care providers to address mental and physical trauma. "Healing from birth can require huge investment," Ms Lack says. But she wants women to know that it's never too late to begin the process of healing. "There's often a lot of grief and people can feel scared to lean into their feelings (but) I believe the body is so capable of healing when you meet with the mind and body together," she says. "I would love for more older women to come (for a birth debrief) because it would enable them to support the current birthing generation better and also so they don't have to continue living their life holding onto their trauma." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
