Ed Davey has demanded that the maternity-care crisis be brought to an end by the close of this Parliament after Liberal Democrat analysis of NHS data indicated that serious childbirth injuries have reached record levels.
The party said almost three in every 100 women having a vaginal birth in 2026 suffered a severe third- or fourth-degree tear, an increase of around 30 per cent compared with 2021.
It also said more than 8,000 women had suffered a severe postpartum haemorrhage involving the loss of more than 1.5 litres of blood since the beginning of the year.
The figures are Liberal Democrat analysis of underlying NHS maternity data rather than a new statistical release produced by the Government.
Highest quarterly rate recorded
According to the party's analysis, the rate of severe bleeding reached 32.7 cases for every 1,000 women between April and June 2026 — the highest quarterly level in the available records.
The Liberal Democrats said more than 8,000 cases had been recorded during the first half of the year, more than double the number reported during the equivalent period in 2021.
Third- and fourth-degree tears are the most serious forms of perineal tear. They extend into the muscles around the anus and, in the most severe cases, the lining of the anus or rectum. They normally require specialist surgical repair.
The party said the rate among vaginal births had reached approximately 29.7 for every 1,000 women in 2026, compared with 2021 levels that were around 30 per cent lower.
Davey calls for crisis to end this Parliament
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said the figures represented a “devastating indictment” of NHS maternity services and called for immediate action on staffing, training and resources.
He said: “Thousands of women are being left alone during labour, terrified and exposed to life-altering trauma — because severe staffing shortages and missing consultants have pushed wards to breaking point.
“The Government cannot turn a blind eye to this national safety scandal. Every mother deserves safe, compassionate care when bringing a child into the world. The Health Secretary must act now — with the staffing, training and resources maternity wards need. This crisis must end by the close of this Parliament.”
Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Helen Morgan said successive governments had allowed problems in maternity care to continue despite repeated reports and investigations.
Women report being left alone
The party also cited Care Quality Commission survey findings showing that approximately one in ten women reported being left alone during labour or birth at a time that worried them.
The Liberal Democrats estimated that this was equivalent to around 54,000 women during the year.
The CQC's survey records women's reported experiences of maternity care. It is separate from the NHS clinical data used for the injury-rate analysis.
£600 million maternity plan
Davey's intervention follows the Liberal Democrats' announcement of a £600 million-a-year maternity rescue plan.
The plan includes a guarantee of one-to-one midwifery care for women during labour and a consultant obstetrician being present on every labour ward around the clock.
The party also wants funding restored for enhanced care during complex pregnancies and bereavement support, alongside a maternity commissioner responsible for overseeing improvements.
It says the programme would be intended to bring every maternity unit to a good or outstanding safety rating and would be accompanied by capital investment to repair or replace inadequate facilities.
The proposals are Liberal Democrat policies and have not been adopted by the Government.
Government promises maternity reforms
The Department of Health and Social Care said Health Secretary Yvette Cooper had made improving maternity safety a personal priority.
The Government said its National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce would lead work to improve care and deliver reforms across maternity and neonatal services.
NHS England has also said it is working to improve maternity safety, including measures intended to reduce injuries associated with childbirth.
The dispute will now focus on whether existing Government reforms can produce sufficiently rapid improvements or whether the additional staffing and spending proposed by the Liberal Democrats is required.