17
Dec 2019
Number of over-45s giving birth in England at highest level since records began
Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that last year, over 2,000 women in this age group had babies, with the number rising from 1,619 ten years ago to 2,366 in 2018.
Chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives Gill Walton, said these figures highlighted the “sustained and unrelenting pressures” on midwives, maternity support workers and maternity services. The risk of complications rises for expectant mothers and their babies as women get older.
“Our maternity services need the resources to be able to meet this growing demand and to ensure women, babies and their families get the safest and best possible care.”
Despite a shortfall of around 2,500, only 33 new midwives were recruited in England last year. Of this, Walton added “This will do little to help this situation. The government’s own policy changes, which we support, to tackle issues such as the entrenched inequalities in health particularly in BAME communities, will also need additional investment.”
According to the ONS, last year 7.1% of all live births in England were born to mothers in the least deprived areas, with 13.6% in the most deprived areas. Stillbirth rates are also higher to women living in the most deprived areas in England. The stillbirth rate in the most deprived areas last year was 5.7 stillbirths per 1,000 births, compared with 2.7 in the least deprived areas.
Chadwick Lawrence’s team of medical negligence lawyers have years of experience in high value and complex medical negligence compensation claims and have an excellent record. The team is led by Tony May, a specialist cerebral palsy and birth injury solicitor, who has over 20 years experience in handling cases in which babies have been brain damaged or sustained other injuries as a result of medical negligence. He and his team continue to represent many cerebral palsy children and young adults in medical negligence claims. Tony also acts as the Court of Protection Deputy for many of the cerebral palsy and brain damaged clients that he has represented, so we can continue to support you after your case is settled. Tony can be contacted by email on tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk. Alternatively, please call and speak to any of Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist medical negligence Legal Aid and no win, no fee solicitors for free legal advice on Freephone 0800 304 7382.
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