Published: 00:41 BST, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 09:05 BST, 24 August 2026
A young mother was left with a major, life-changing disability after maternity doctors failed to spot and treat a common birth injury for several years.
Zara Ishfaq was just 26 when she suffered a severe vaginal tear while giving birth to her first child, which could have been resolved with simple stitches.
But despite repeatedly reporting severe pain, gut problems and suffering severe infections, Ms Ishfaq's injuries went unaddressed.
The tear eventually developed into a 3cm fistula – a hole between the bowel and the vagina – which was eventually detected as the underlying cause of the problems.
Nearly four years after giving birth to her son, the accountant finally underwent major surgery to repair the hole.
Doctors were forced to fit a stoma – which diverts bowel waste into a bag worn outside of the body – to keep faeces away from the injured area so it could be surgically repaired and heal.
Healthcare professionals have admitted that, had her injuries been identified sooner, she could have been spared the devastating physical and psychological toll that followed.
Now 31, Ms Ishfaq is campaigning for greater awareness of birth injuries and improvements in maternity care.
Zara gave birth to her son on 21 December 2021. She says that, despite him being significantly bigger than most babies his age, she was not offered a Caesarean section
Her ordeal began during the birth of her first child – an experience she says should have been handled very differently.
Aariz was growing on the 97th centile – meaning he weighed more than 97 per cent of babies of the same age – when Zara was induced.
Despite this, she says a caesarean section was never discussed, even though it can help avoid complications associated with delivering a larger baby.
Midwives were forced to use forceps to pull the baby out, after his shoulders became stuck during delivery.
'Everything became overwhelming very quickly,' Ms Ishfaq, from London, recalls.