Fear of childbirth means 28% now have a caesarean

OLDER mothers, obesity and a fear of childbirth are driving record numbers of caesareans, according to official figures.

Almost 28 per cent of women who gave birth last year had the operation, a three-fold rise since the 1980s.

This included 12 per cent who had a planned caesarean – one in eight – while the remainder needed one as an emergency.

The figures from NHS Digital are the highest since records began in 1980 when only 9 per cent of mothers had a caesarean.

They also show that only 55 per cent – just over half – of women who gave birth last year went into labour naturally.

The remainder were induced as doctors were worried they were late or had a planned caesarean.

Doctors said the trend was due to the rise in older and obese mothers who tend to have more complex labours. Many are advised to have planned surgical deliveries to avoid life-threatening complications during the birth.

But the figures also reflect the fact that rising numbers of women are choosing to have caesareans because they are so scared of natural childbirth. Some had terrifying or lengthy ordeals with their first baby.

In 2011 the health watchdog Nice acknowledged this fear and issued new guidelines stating hospitals were obliged to offer these women caesareans.

Shortly before this guidance was introduced some hospitals were reporting a 40 per cent increase in the numbers of women asking for the procedure in just one year.

Edward Morris, spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: ‘These figures reflect the increasing number of complex births due to rising maternal age and obesity, together with more women with pre- existing medical conditions having babies.

‘These factors increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and a more complicated labour, resulting in medical interventions.’

The figures for England show 636,401 babies were born in 201617. Of these, 12.1 per cent of mothers had a planned caesarean. In 2006-7 the proportion was 9.5 per cent and in 1980 it was 4 per cent.

The National Childbirth Trust said women were being induced too quickly when they could have waited. An NHS England spokesman said: ‘We are supporting women to make informed choices about the care they want based on best evidence and practice.’