This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Obesity causing increase in Caesarean birth
A ‘worrying’ increase in Caesarean births is the result of rising obesity and older mothers, health experts have warned.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists say maternity figures, which show a rise in the numbers of both elected and emergency Caesarean sections despite a fall in the overall number of births, reflect an increase in ‘complex births’, caused by obesity and age.
The average age of mothers has increased by four years over the past 40 years, with more than a fifth of all live births in England and Wales to mothers aged over 35 in 2015.
The Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries found about 40,000 maternities each year in the UK involve women who are clinically obese.
According to the figures, there were 73,551 elective C-sections on the NHS in 2015-16, an increase of approximately 6,750 than in 2011-12. There was also an increase of over 2,000 emergency Caesarean births over the same period. In contrast, the number of conventional births has dropped from 407,031 in 2011-12 to 382,514 in 2015-16.
A spokesman for the Royal College of Midwives said: "The continued rise in Caesarean sections is a worry. Whilst some are needed for medical reasons we need to know why the rate is increasing, and take steps to address this. This issue is also linked to the rising numbers of overweight and obese pregnant women and I remain concerned about the increase in these numbers. These women are more likely to have a Caesarean section, and may also need additional support and care because of the potential complications that can occur in pregnancy for these women."
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