Maternity units are turning away women in labour because they have no room, figures show.
More than four in ten NHS hospitals refused to accept expectant mothers at least once last year.
The figures, from 103 of the 147 NHS trusts with maternity services, were obtained by the Conservatives under the Freedom of Information Act.
They show that almost one in ten trusts closed more than ten times last year.
the University of Leicester Hospitals Trust – one of the biggest NHS providers – closed 28 times.
In all, 43 trusts said they had closed their maternity unit, or had been forced to send women to another hospital, at least once in 2007 because they were full.
The Tories said it contacted all 147 trusts providing maternity services in England.
But several with maternity units that have recently closed or downgraded, or are facing such changes, did not respond.
Hundreds of thousands protested last year about local shake-ups that could result in downgrading or closure of midwife-led and consultant-led maternity units.
Mary Newburn, head of policy at the National Childbirth Trust, said Labour’s backing for women’s choice was not deliverable under these circumstances.
She added: “If women are to have their choice of place of birth guaranteed by 2009, as promised by the Government, it is vital there is sufficient capacity.”
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said it was concerned about the implications of closures.
Richard Warren, RCOG honorary secretary, said: “Safety and quality of care are paramount and, although the UK is a safe place to give birth, growing pressures require long-term investment.
“Our current calculation is that 400 extra consultants are immediately required across England and Wales.”
Tory health spokesman Andrew Lansley said: “The Government’s plans to close maternity units when services are already overstretched fly in the face of common sense.
“Labour are fixated with cutting smaller, local maternity services and concentrating them in big units. But women don’t want to have to travel miles to give birth.
“And they certainly don’t want to have to travel even further because they’re turned away by the hospital of their choice.”
Liberal Democrat spokesman Norman Lamb said: “There is a huge gap between Government promises and the reality in maternity units across the country.
