One in four babies in England delivered by caesarean section, NHS data shows

A medical team attend to a new-born baby after its caesarean birth. Out of all deliveries in England last year, 25% were C-sections, up by 13% from a decade ago. Photograph: Janine Wiedel/Alamy

One in four babies born in NHS hospitals in England last year were delivered by caesarean section, official figures show.

The gradual increase in the number of caesarean births over the past decade is due to a growing number of complex pregnancies and births, caused by factors including rising obesity rates and women waiting until they are older to have children. The proportion of spontaneous deliveries that do not involve drugs or other medical interventions has steadily declined in the last 10 years.