Rise in NHS birth centre closures ‘shocking’ denial of women’s rights, experts say

Twelve midwife-led maternity units have closed in England since 2019 with six closing since Labour came to power in 2024

NHS officials are shutting growing numbers of birth centres in a “shocking” denial of a woman’s right to have a midwife rather than a doctor oversee their baby’s birth, say campaigners.

Twelve birth centres – midwife-led maternity units – have closed in England since 2019. Birth centres play a key role in ensuring that women can choose whether to have their baby at a unit in a hospital run by doctors, at one where midwives are in charge, or at home.