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One in 40 new mothers gave birth at home last year, as Covid led expectant parents to steer clear of hospitals.
Office for National Statistics figures showed the proportion of births taking place in the home hit a nine-year high in 2020.
A total of 14,281 out of 607,469 births in England and Wales — or 2.4 per cent — were recorded as taking place 'at home'. This was the biggest annual jump recorded since records began, surging from 2.1 per cent in the previous year.
Millions of people avoided using the NHS during the first year of the pandemic.
Statisticians said this could have had an 'indirect effect on place of birth which may include people choosing to stay away from healthcare settings'.
Charities said although giving birth at home did not appear to pose any direct risk to babies, parents should be aware of the facts.
Office for National Statistics figures showed 2.4 per cent of women gave birth at home during 2020, the highest proportion in nine years
