Over half of women giving birth in England, Scotland, and Wales did so by induction or caesarean section, a large scale audit has found.
The latest National Maternity and Perinatal Audit (NMPA) of 592 594 births in 2023 shows that 50.6% involved a caesarean section or the use of instruments, compared with 40% in the previous report in 2018-19. In 2023, 49.4% of births were vaginal compared with 60% in 2018-19.
The trend was driven by a rise in unplanned caesarean sections, which made up nearly a quarter (23.1%) of births in England, Scotland, and Wales in 2023 compared with 15% in 2018-19.
Planned caesarean sections have also increased since the previous report, from 12.1% to 16.4%, the report by the royal colleges of midwives, obstetricians and gynaecologists (RCOG), and paediatrics and child health found.
The latest audit, which will be followed by a more detailed …
