The Canberra Mothercraft Society has signed on to provide financial support for the Birth Experience Study again in 2026, as it looks to explore national trends by comparing Australian women’s maternity care experiences at two time points: the 2021 BESt survey(undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic) and the proposed 2026 (post-COVID-19) survey.
The Birth Experience Study (BESt) is the largest of its kind in Australia. First launched in Australia in 2021, survey responses were obtained from more than 8800 women across all states and territories. This resulted in seven published papers, 49 conference and seminar presentations, and a NSW Birth Trauma Inquiry. It also led to the development of an international collaboration, with 14 partners replicating the survey in countries across the world (BESt-IC). The BESt survey focuses on factors influencing positive and negative birth experiences, and the prevalence and impact of birth trauma.
CMS was one of the founding supporters of BESt in 2021, with partial funding for the study to be translated into seven additional languages: Arabic, Chinese, Farsi/Persian, Filipino, Hindi, Thai and Vietnamese.
An initiative of Western Sydney University and BirthTime – the Documentary, the study investigates women’s experiences of accessing maternity care services in Australia over a five-year period.
To find our more about the Birth Experience Survey, visit: The Birth Experience Study – BESt-Australia