A troubling trend has emerged within England’s maternity services, as an increasing number of younger midwives are leaving the NHS due to burnout, exacerbating staffing shortages and raising concerns over the safety of maternal care. Recent data reveals that in the fiscal year 2025-26, 1,669 midwives under the age of 35 resigned from their positions—representing over half of the total 2,949 midwives who departed the service during this period.
Alarming Resignation Rates
The statistics, revealed through parliamentary inquiries by the Liberal Democrats, paint a stark picture of the midwifery landscape. Of the younger midwives who left last year, 205 were under the age of 25, while 655 were between 25 and 29, and 809 fell within the 30 to 34 age bracket. Alarmingly, the number of midwives under 35 who have resigned has surged by 59% since 2014-15, when only 1,051 made the decision to leave.
This exodus is compounded by a worrying trend among midwifery students. Nearly one in four students enrolled in midwifery programmes do not complete their degrees. In 2021, 3,565 students began their training, but only 2,725 graduated in 2024, indicating that 840 students—approximately 24%—failed to finish their studies.
Factors Behind the Exodus
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has termed the situation a “staffing emergency,” highlighting the immense pressures faced by those in the profession. As maternity services grapple with increasingly complex cases and heightened risks during childbirth, the strain on midwives is palpable. A recent RCM survey indicated that three-quarters of midwives have contemplated leaving the profession, driven primarily by concerns over staffing levels and the implications for patient safety.
Hannah Leonard, the RCM’s deputy chief midwife, expressed serious concern regarding the ongoing trend. “The departure of midwives under 35 is deeply worrying,” she stated, “as it demonstrates that many are becoming burnt out shortly after qualifying due to chronic understaffing, missed breaks, and unpaid hours.” The loss of these professionals, along with students who abandon their training, represents a significant waste of potential talent and expertise.
Call for Systemic Change
The urgency of the situation has not gone unnoticed. Both the Ockenden and Amos reviews of maternity care in England pinpointed staff shortages as a fundamental issue jeopardising patient safety. Helen Morgan, the health spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, has called for immediate action. “These statistics uncover a distressing crisis in maternity care,” she remarked, noting that far too many midwives are burning out just as they begin their careers. “Patients are suffering, and mothers are left with no option but to deliver in understaffed and unsafe environments.”
Morgan advocates for a shift in government strategy, urging the implementation of guaranteed training and professional development opportunities. “Instead of merely hiring more staff who may quit under unbearable pressure, we need to support our current workforce to handle the rising complexities of maternity care,” she concluded.
Government Response
In response to the escalating crisis, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) highlighted that there are currently 25,500 full-time equivalent midwives in the NHS, a record high. They emphasised that under the current government, efforts have been made to improve the working conditions for midwives, including above-inflation pay rises and new standards aimed at enhancing health and wellbeing support. Moreover, an initiative to create an additional 1,000 midwifery roles, supported by £10 million, has been launched to prevent further attrition from the profession.
Despite these measures, the persistent turnover rate—approximately 10% of all midwives leaving annually—hides a more severe reality: 14.6% of midwives aged 25-29 and 16.6% of those aged 30-34 left during the last financial year.
Why it Matters
The ongoing crisis in midwifery not only threatens the wellbeing of those working within the NHS but poses a direct risk to the quality of care available to mothers and their newborns. As more young professionals leave the field, the ramifications extend beyond staffing levels, impacting the very fabric of maternity care in the UK. It is crucial to rethink how midwives are supported and trained, ensuring that they are equipped to meet the demands of their roles without compromising their health or the safety of those they serve. The future of maternity care depends on it.