British maternity departments are facing a growing shortage of midwives as professionals struggle to keep up with a rising birth rate, it has been claimed.
As many as a third of departments now report problems with maintaining staffing numbers, according to the Royal College of Midwives.
Southern and eastern England and London are suffering from especially high vacancy rates, the college said, reporting on a survey of hospital senior midwives.
Some 30 per cent of these heads of midwifery reported having been asked to cut budgets, the RCM said.
And three quarters said they do not have enough staff to cope.
The RCM said the findings strengthen the case for improved pay for midwives.
Like other nursing unions, it is pressing the government to scrap the three-year pay deal for nurses and reopen talks.
Jon Skewes, of the RCM, said: "The comments of many of these midwife managers make worrying reading, and tell a tale of rock bottom morale, high levels of stress and overwork. Right at the sharp end of this are the women and babies midwives are struggling to care for.
"Women should be getting access to high quality care throughout their pregnancy and beyond and we know that too often this is not happening. Without the right funding and without the right numbers this situation is in danger of getting worse."
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