18.9 The consequence of the rising caesarean section rate for midwifery

The rising caesarean section rate across the UK and globally is reshaping maternity care, with significant implications for midwifery practice, education and workforce development.This session will explore how increasing surgical birth rates impact student learning opportunities, skill acquisition, confidence in physiological birth, and the future role of the midwife. We will consider the balance between supporting safe operative birth and maintaining expertise in normal birth, as well as the broader system pressures influencing these trends.Designed for midwives, student midwives, educators, maternity leaders and policymakers, this event offers space for critical reflection, shared learning and constructive discussion about how midwifery education can adapt while protecting the core philosophy of the profession.Join us for an important conversation about safeguarding midwifery skills in a changing maternity landscape.Hosted by:Sue MacdonaldContributions from:Nicky Clark, Freelance Midwifery Educationalist; former LME, University of Hull