A CHIEF nurse says a safe birth is a priority at Bradford hospitals after figures revealed fewer babies were delivered through caesareans in the district last year than almost anywhere else in the country.

Of the many births recorded in Bradford in 2020-21 in Office for Health Improvement and Disparities figures, 26.2 per cent (1,560) were delivered by C-section.

Though that was up from 25.1 per cent the year before, it was still one of the lowest rates among England's local authorities.

Across the country, 32.5 per cent of births in England in 2020-21 were delivered by caesarean section – up from 30.1 per cent in 2019-20.

This rate was the highest since records began in 2014-15.

Amanda Stanford, Chief Nurse at Airedale NHS FT, said: “Across our Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership we are committed to providing a personalised experience for women and their families as they plan for birth and beyond.

"This means we will listen to the wishes of women, including how they would like to have their baby delivered.

"Our overriding principle is to ensure a safe birth taking into account individual choice, and providing the level of care that women and their families should expect from us."

NHS England recently told hospitals to stop using targets aimed at limiting the number of caesarean section rates, as such targets might be “clinically inappropriate and unsafe” for patients - though these figures pre-date the move.

Separate figures from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities also show that the fertility rate in England has fallen to the lowest level on record.

The general fertility rate – measured by the number of babies born for every 1,000 females aged between 15 and 44 – fell to just 55.3 in 2020, the latest figures available.

In Bradford, the rate was 64.8 in 2020 – down from 69.7 in 2019, and also the lowest since comparable records began in 2010.

Ms Stanford, who is also lead for the Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership’s Better Births programme, added: “Through our partnership’s Better Births programme we have been working with a range of community and patient groups, such as the Maternity Voices Partnership, to understand how we can closely meet the needs of our local women and their families.

"We will continue to listen, learn and respond to what they tell us to shape services around them.”