A Black Cloud - a film about Birth Trauma, PTSD and loss

Purpose: To raise awareness of birth related trauma, and to give people comfort that they are not alone, and to highlight the new Reproductive Trauma Service in Lancashire and South Cumbria which helps women find their path to recovery.

Film: ‘A Black Cloud’ shares four women’s personal experiences of birth trauma. It describes the shock experienced when unexpected events turn pregnancy and birth into a traumatic experience and also shares their advice and route to recovery.

Outcome: The film shows that through recognition and compassion, a journey to recovery is possible.

ABOUT Lancashire and South Cumbria Health & Care Partnership

Tracy Marsden is a Maternal Mental Health Service Manager in the NHS with empathy and passion to support women experiencing birth fear, trauma, and perinatal loss. She championed the new service that initiated the production of this film.

Lisa McCormick is the Clinical Lead ‘We’ve worked really hard to develop a service that meets the needs of the people it will help. It has been co-produced by those with lived experience of reproductive trauma and/or loss to gain a better understanding of their needs.’

About ForMed Films

ForMed Films is a not-for-profit who make animated films about medical and health issues using patient voice.

Quotes

'Our stories have been heard, listened to and replayed then animated in such a powerful way to reflect these into this film!'

One of the mums interviewed in the film

It is a wonderful resource to enable others to understand their emotional responses, to provide tools and strategies that might help, and to know they are not on their alone.’

Professor Gill Thomson, Professor in Perinatal Health at University of Central Lancashire

The film won an award in the 2022 International Public Health Film Competition.