In 2024, the proportion of cesarean section (C-section) births in German hospitals reached a record high. According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), 654,600 women delivered babies in hospitals that year, with 215,900 of those births requiring a C-section. This represented one in every three births (33.0 percent) and marks the highest rate since German reunification. Since 1991, the rate has more than doubled, when it accounted for only 15.3 percent of all hospital deliveries.
Regarding methods of delivery, the majority of women-60.1 percent-delivered naturally. Other methods of childbirth were used less frequently: vacuum extraction was applied in 6.7 percent of deliveries in 2024, while forceps were used in 0.2 percent.
There are significant regional differences across Germany concerning childbirth statistics. Hamburg recorded the highest rate of C-sections at 36.4 percent, followed by the Saarland (35.9 percent) and Hesse (35.6 percent). The lowest rates for hospital C-sections were reported in Saxony (27.4 percent), followed by Brandenburg (27.6 percent) and Berlin (29.9 percent).
In terms of support personnel, midwives and birth attendants play a vital role in assisting women during and after pregnancy. In 2024, approximately 12,900 midwives and birth attendants provided care in German hospitals. This figure represents a slight increase of 3.3 percent compared to the previous year’s count of 12,500 staff members. The Federal Agency reported that these staff members were composed of 88.9 percent (11,400) who were permanently employed and 11.1 percent (1,400) who were temporary or contract workers.
