Extra recruitment for Scottish baby boom

Extra medical professionals have been recruited to regional hospitals in Lothian, Scotland after an unprecedented baby boom. Two extra consultants and several more midwives were taken on at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and St John's Hospital in Livingston to cope with the rising demand. Scotland as a whole experienced a rise in the number of births from 53,024 in 2006 to 55,363 last year. The number of babies born in Lothian increased by three per cent, from 8,480 in 2006 to 8,721 in 2007, according to the figures published by ISD Scotland.

It was also discovered that mums are waiting longer to have babies.

The majority of new mothers in Scotland were aged 30 to 34, with this age group accounting for 28 per cent of births, compared with just 13 per cent in 1976.

Meanwhile the number of births involving women aged 35 or over rose from six per cent in 1976 to 20 per cent in each of the last three years.

This is higher than the birth rate for 20 to 24-year-olds.

Dr David Farquharson, NHS Lothian Women's Services clinical director, said that the boom was probably a result of more people moving to the area as a consequence of economic growth.

He explained: "In common with the rest of Scotland, we are seeing increases in the number of births at our hospitals.

"In maternity services, we are able to plan ahead and we are coping well with rising numbers of births."