Increase in babies born via emergency Caesarean

Getty/Jordi Mora Igual

By Storm Newton, PA

The proportion of babies delivered via planned or emergency Caesarean sections increased last year, with experts suggesting the trend could be down to more complex births due to obesity or women waiting until they are older to get pregnant.

Data published by NHS England also showed the number of births in the country is at its lowest level in more than 20 years.

Of the 547,244 births recorded in 2022/2023, some 17.4% were delivered by elective Caesarean section. This is up from 15.9% of the 578,562 births recorded in the previous 12 months.

The proportion of emergency Caesarean sections also increased from 20.1% to 21.9%, or around one in five births.

The statistics suggest a long-term upwards trend in emergency Caesarean sections in England.

Some 671,255 babies were born a decade ago in 2012/13, with 14.8%, or around one in seven, delivered via emergency Caesarean.

The proportions of both elective and emergency procedures in 2022/23 are the highest since 1980, which is as far back as current NHS England data on deliveries goes.