We study the effects of a common health shock that occurs during childbirth --- birth tears --- on mothers' health and labor market outcomes. One in twenty first-time mothers who have a vaginal delivery suffer a severe birth tear, which can have long-lasting adverse effects on health and the quality of life. Using a matched control group event study design, we find that severe birth tears among first-time mothers lead to earnings losses in the first five years after childbirth that are seven percent larger than the average earnings loss among mothers. This effect is mostly concentrated among mothers with low SES backgrounds, while high SES mothers are found to seek more health care following their injury.