Rising obesity levels and the increasing age of pregnant women are placing extra strain on midwifery services as vacancies rise, according to a new report.

The proportion of overweight and obese pregnant women topped 50% for the first time last year in Scotland reaching 51%, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) report found.

The age of pregnant women is also increasing, with 54% of babies in 2017 born to women in their 30s or 40s, the RCM's State of Maternity Services Report for Scotland said.

Between 2000 and 2017 births to women in their early forties soared 68% to 1,907 births while the number of babies born to women in their late thirties (35-39) rose by 32% to 9,745.

Both obese and overweight women and older women are more likely to require additional care and support throughout their pregnancy.

The RCM said the rise in vacancies is placing increasing pressure on services with vacant midwifery posts quadrupling in the last five years, rising from 1.3% in 2013 to 5% in 2018.

It noted "particularly acute" problems in the north of Scotland.

Mary Ross-Davie, RCM director for Scotland, said: "There are some great things happening in our maternity services in Scotland, not least the very ambitious Best Start maternity programme. The Scottish Government has also delivered real increases in the number of student midwives, which we welcome.

"However, pressures on our midwives are increasing - the care needs of the women in our care are rising, while the number of unfilled midwifery posts is also rising."

The RCM said there are still some concerns over the ageing midwifery workforce despite an increase in the number of younger midwives.

The proportion of midwives aged 50 or older jumped from 34% in March 2013 to 40% in March 2018.

Health secretary Jeane Freeman said: "While there has been an increase of 5.7% in the number of qualified nurses and midwives under this Government, we're determined to go further to ensure we have a sustainable midwifery workforce long into the future."