21.01.13
Births in England up 21.6% in a decade
The birth rate in England is continuing to increase rapidly, the new annual report by the RCM indicates, with a 21.6% rise between 2001 and 2011.
The report also warns of increasing pressures on maternity services, including rising demand, midwife shortages and an ageing workforce.
In 2011, 688,120 babies were born in England. This is the highest number for 40 years, and provisional figures for 2012 indicate another record-breaking year. ONS projections suggest that births could reach as high as 743,000 by 2014.
Some baby boom ‘hotspots’ increased by over 50% in recent years. The area with the fastest growing number of births was Corby, Northamptonshire, which saw the number of births grow by 63% between 2002 and 2011. The England-wide rise in births was 21.6%.
RCM chief executive Cathy Warwick said: “England remains around 5,000 midwives short of the number required to provide mothers and babies with high-quality service they need and deserve. Maternity care is the earliest health intervention of all and getting care right for mothers and babies is a vital part of supporting families and building a foundation for good health in later life.”
She added that this was “no time for backsliding from the Government” and that maternity services in England were reaching a “crucial tipping point”.
“We desperately need more midwives to reinvigorate the profession. Ten years ago, only a third of midwives were aged 45 or over. In 2011, around half were in that age group. The number of midwives aged 65 or above has risen more than nine fold, from 13 to 122. We need to train more midwives and make absolutely sure that those who qualify get jobs without delay.”
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