A baby boom has pushed maternity services in the UK to a "crucial tipping point", with midwives under intense strain and hospitals struggling to cope.
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) says there is a massive shortage of midwives after some areas of the UK has seen a 50% rise in the number of births in the last few years.
In a report to be published in parliament on Tuesday, the RCM warned that an extra 5,000 midwives were needed in England alone to deal with the highest birth rate in 40 years.
It is calling on the Government to provide a guarantee not to cut midwife training places.
