Hospitals struggle as birth rate rises

SOME maternity units are struggling to cope as the birth rate rises, according to a report.

By The Newsroom

Published 24th Jul 2011, 16:20 BST

Updated 24th Jul 2011, 23:25 BST

Last year, one baby was born in the UK every 40 seconds - the highest number for nearly 20 years, tonight's BBC1 Panorama programme will report. Across the UK, maternity units closed temporarily to admissions 1,055 times last year, due to under-staffing or lack of beds, the programme will say.