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NHS hospital in London sees four in five babies born to foreign mums

Northwick Park Hospital in North West London is one of 25 maternity units in England where overseas mothers outnumbered UK-born women

FOUR in five babies delivered in one NHS hospital were born to foreign mums, official figures reveal.

There were 4,031 births to overseas mums out of the 5,117 arrivals at Northwick Park Hospital in North West London last year.

 Four in five babies born in Northwick Park Hospital in North West London last year were born to foreign mums
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Four in five babies born in Northwick Park Hospital in North West London last year were born to foreign mumsCredit: David New - The Sun

It is one of 25 maternity units in England where foreign mothers outnumbered UK-born women. Others include Newham University Hospital, East London, where the proportion was 77 per cent, and St Mary’s Hospital in North West London with 71 per cent.

The figures expose the pressures migration is adding to stretched NHS wards, campaigners say.

About 700,000 babies are born in England and Wales each year.

In 2016, more than 28 per cent of these were to women born outside the UK, the highest level on record.

 There were 25 maternity units where foreign mums out-numbered mums born in the UK (stock image)
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There were 25 maternity units where foreign mums out-numbered mums born in the UK (stock image)Credit: Getty - Contributor

City Hospital in Birmingham is the only one of the 25 hospitals with more foreign-born mums outside London.

By contrast, only four per cent of babies born at Neath Port Talbot Hospital in South Wales were to non-Brits.

The findings come as the NHS needs to recruit 3,500 more midwives.

Alp Mehmet, from MigrationWatch UK, said last night: “To reduce these pressures we need to better manage migration.”

 Campaigners say that these figures show how the pressures of migration add to an overstretched NHS
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Campaigners say that these figures show how the pressures of migration add to an overstretched NHSCredit: Getty - Contributor
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