More Babies Are Being Born Through Cesarean Section Than Vaginal Births in the U.K. for the First Time

For the first time, cesarean sections have edged out vaginal births in the United Kingdom.

A new report released by the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) on Thursday, Sept. 18 found that 45% of births in the past year were delivered by C-section — including both elective and emergency procedures — compared with 44% delivered vaginally.

Nearly half of those C-sections were planned in advance, with 20% classified as elective procedures scheduled ahead of time.

Per the BBC, the NHS said the increase may reflect a mix of factors, including more women choosing C-sections and a rise in underlying health conditions such as diabetes.

Dr. Donna Ockenden, who is chairing an independent review into maternity services, told the BBC that the shift reflects an “evolving picture over time.”

“We know there is an increasing mental age, we know there is rising ill health,” she said. “I also think previous experience will play a part.”

She added that difficult prior deliveries can shape decisions in subsequent pregnancies. “Birth trauma and having a cesarean section first time may influencer their decision to have a C-section the second time round,” Ockenden said.

Over the past decade, the number of C-sections in the U.K. has doubled, according to the outlet. Dr. Alison Wright, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, linked the trend to improved monitoring during labor — including better detection when a baby’s condition is worsening — allowing clinicians to respond more quickly.

Still, Soo Downe, a professor of midwifery studies at the University of Lancashire, told the BBC that common demographic shifts don’t fully explain the speed of the increase. She pointed out that the average age of motherhood has risen by only about a year over the past decade, and women’s BMI (Body Mass Index) has increased only slightly.

“That doesn’t explain this very rapid rise that has happened over the last 10 years,” she said. Instead, Downe suggested the change may be tied to a growing perception among some women that C-sections feel like the “least worst option,” driven by fears about whether they will have a “safe, straightforward positive labor.”

While maternity care is currently under review at 14 NHS trusts, the NHS told the BBC its focus remains on safety for both mother and baby.

“All women should receive safe, personalized maternity care in line with best practice guidance and clinical evidence,” an NHS spokesperson said.

They added that decisions around delivery method should come through informed conversations that weigh personal circumstances, clinical guidance, and a woman’s preferences — with the goal of choosing the safest and most appropriate approach for each birth.