- Over half of all births in the UK in 2023 involved medical intervention, according to an audit of NHS maternal care.
- The National Maternity and Perinatal Audit reported that 50.6 per cent of births included either a caesarean section or instrumental delivery.
- The proportion of births via caesarean section sharply increased from 25 per cent in 2015-16 to 38.9 per cent in 2023.
- The audit warned that this shift could lead to increased demands on maternity services and impact women's postpartum recovery.
- Experts link the rise in medical intervention to the increasing trend of older women giving birth, alongside factors like obesity and pre-existing medical conditions.
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