More babies born by C-section now than in 80s

London:  Almost three times as many babies are being born by Caesarean compared to 30 years ago, figures show.

A quarter of all expectant mothers now have the procedure. In 1980 the figure was only 9 per cent.

Women in affluent areas in South-east England are more likely to have C-sections than those elsewhere — supporting the idea many are "too posh to push".

Midwives also blame the rising trend on staffing shortages which prevent them from holding one-to-one sessions with mothers to allay concerns. Many women are becoming increasingly worried about natural births, and rising numbers are demanding Caesareans for their second births.

But experts warn that the procedure is high-risk, the newborn is more likely to develop breathing problems and women find it harder to bond with their babies while recovering from the surgery.

Figures from the NHS Information Centre show that just under half the Caesareans last year were planned, with the majority carried out following a complication in birth. Experts say more women have complications as they tend to be older and more obese.