Woman says she 'begged for pain relief but was told no' - amid national call for birth stories

Women and families are being asked to share their maternity stories in a national call for action.

Warning: This article contains details some may find distressing

The findings will help inform the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation (NMNI),which is being led by Baroness Amos.

She told Sky News she understands many women have "lost faith" in the system but wants them to take part to ensure positive change can happen.

Kelly Redhead's daughter Harper lived for less than half-an-hour. She was born prematurely at 18 weeks and three days.

"She was laid on my chest and there was a beam of light coming in through the window… and I could just see her chest moving up and down and I watched until it wasn't," she said.

Days earlier, Kelly had known something was wrong. But her medical team sent her home.

"I was begging for pain relief at this point because of how much pain I was in. And I was told 'no, you can't have anything'."

Kelly was carrying an infection which led to pelvic inflammatory disease, sepsis and pre-term labour.

"When she said, 'I'm really sorry Kelly, your cervix is opening', I just remember screaming at my mum, saying 'no'. Because I knew if I gave birth to Harper, she wouldn't survive."

Kelly keeps a memory box for Harper, containing scan photos and prints of her tiny hands and feet.

She says she will never be the same again.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals was responsible for Kelly's care and is facing its own independent inquiry. It welcomes the national call for evidence.

The trust's deputy chief medical officer, Dr Elizabeth Garthwaite, said: "We are truly sorry that Kelly did not feel listened to about her concerns during her pregnancy, and we offer our sincere condolences to Kelly and her family for their sad loss of baby Harper."

The national review was ordered by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, following a series of scandals. Sky News has been highlighting the issues and speaking to many mothers about their birth trauma.

Kelly still struggles with her loss and has suffered from post-natal depression and PTSD.

But she thinks women should share their stories, if only to highlight how badly the system is failing.

Read more on birth stories:
Feeling ignored, bad staff behaviour, long-term trauma: Your maternity experiences

"I will be filling it in because we all have voices and as lost mums and lost families and lost parents and siblings, we deserve to be heard."

The call for evidence will be open until 17 March.

If you have suffered from birth trauma and would like to share your story, contact Sky News by messaging us on WhatsApp +44 7583 000853, emailing maternitystories@sky.uk or using 'Your Report' on the Sky News app.

(c) Sky News 2026: Woman says she 'begged for pain relief but was told no' - amid national call for birth stories