Women who have Caesarean births at an advanced stage of labour are about eight times more likely to develop scars in the womb which are known to increase the likelihood of premature births in future pregnancies, UCL researchers have found.

The study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology , looked at how the stage of labour when the operation is performed affects where the scar forms and how well it heals. More than 40 per cent of all births in high-income countries including England are now by Caesarean.

As labour progresses, the baby moves further down the woman’s womb towards the vagina. In preparation for giving birth, the woman’s cervix – the opening of the womb – opens or ‘dilates’ up to 10 centimetres.

In some cases, doctors may need to intervene and p

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