Fiona Martin (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Bringing new life into the world is an incredibly positive and life-changing event for many parents, but we know that for some parents the delivery of the baby may result in physical or psychological injury or a combination of both. One of those physical injuries which can occur as a direct result of the birthing process is abdominal separation or abdominal tearing, which can affect one in three women. Abdominal tearing refers to tearing, stretching or rupturing of the abdominal muscles caused during pregnancy. Women who have multiple births or larger-than-average babies are more likely to experience this type of injury. It can cause chronic lower back pain and urinary incontinence that impacts a woman's quality of life, her mental and physical health, her relationships and her ability to care for her children. It also impacts the decision to have more children and her capacity to return to the workforce. For some women, it even impairs their ability to lift or carry their own children.

Abdominal separation in pregnant and postnatal women is first treated through physiotherapy, where the condition may resolve naturally. However, evidence has shown that this treatment has limited success in severe cases. Recent studies have shown that abdominoplasty surgery has high success rates for this type of injury, but for many women this life-changing surgery is just out of reach. Some women have to access their superannuation to pay for the surgery, while others have taken out loans. In some cases, women have had to save for the surgery, which costs up to $15,000.

This time last year, I stood in this House and presented a petition which had been signed by over 13,000 individuals. Started by my constituent in Reid Kerrie Edwards, this petition called for the reinstatement of the MBS item for abdominoplasty surgery for women with abdominal tearing caused by pregnancy, a medical condition also known as diastasis recti. I am pleased to say that late last month the Medical Services Advisory Committee listened to the voices of thousands of women and men across Australia who have been calling for this surgery to again be covered under Medicare. MSAC listened to the evidence, and it has recommended to the health minister that this surgery once again be subsidised. This is welcome news for the one in three Australian mothers who are living with physical injury and mental distress as a result of birth trauma. It's welcome news to the women who have campaigned for years to have this surgery once again covered under Medicare.

I want to thank the thousands of women who have told me their personal stories. I know this news brings hope and relief to them. This type of surgery in the past has been too easily dismissed as a cosmetic procedure when in fact it restores dignity and quality of life to women enduring chronic pain, incontinence and diminished ability to care for their own children. This outcome is also a victory on the long path in lifting taboos related to women's health. When we improve perinatal care in Australia, we remove stigmas and financial barriers, we support Australian families and we increase workforce participation for women, to the benefit of our nation.

I also want to acknowledge and thank my colleagues Bridget Archer, Dr Katie Allen and Celia Hammond for their support of that petition and all the other members of this House who added their voices to the petition and to the calls to have the surgery covered under Medicare again. But, most importantly, I would like to thank Kerrie Edwards for her tireless efforts. She was driven by her own experience of abdominal separation, and I hope she has found time to pause and reflect on the incredible outcome of her advocacy: the countless women who will be supported, the new mums who will have greater quality of life because of her advocacy.

I am also pleased to see that the government have made clear their commitment to listing abdominoplasty on the MBS as soon as possible, and I acknowledge the health minister for his personal commitment to this issue.

House adjourned at 19:59