Women giving birth are being admitted to units that do not have enough beds, showers or toilets, a report has claimed.

In some hospitals, one bed is used for more than one birth in each 24-hour day while women are also forced to share showers and baths.

The study for the Healthcare Commission - which was set to be officially unveiled in Birmingham - found some hospitals have staffing levels that are “well below” average.

Consultants do not always spend enough time on the wards, not all staff receive adequate training and choice of where to give birth could be limited.

The large-scale review, of all maternity units in 150 NHS trusts in England, examined all aspects of maternity care. It said: “For the median trust there are 3.6 delivery beds per 1,000 births per year, which means that each bed is used for 0.7 births per day.

“However, some trusts have as few as two beds per 1,000 births per year, which means that each bed is used for 1.4 births per day. This seems excessive and there is clearly a need to increase the capacity of delivery beds in these units.”

The need for an adequate number of bathrooms on delivery suites was highlighted more than 10 years ago, the report said.

Looking at the current situation, it said “relatively few units (16.5 per cent) had as many as one bath per delivery room, and only half reported having one or more baths for every four delivery rooms.

“Shower facilities are more common and more than a third of trusts (38 per cent) reported one shower per delivery room, with just over half of units reporting one shower or more for every two delivery rooms.

“Ideally, all delivery rooms should have a bath or shower room en-suite, but there is clearly a long way to go before this position is reached.”

On post-natal wards, fewer bathrooms are needed but some had one bathroom for every 13 beds and one shower for every seven beds, the study added.

One of the Government’s key aims is to give every woman choice over where to give birth, including in units led by obstetricians, or midwives, or at home.

“In practice, the choice of types of maternity unit is currently very limited, because our review found that about two-thirds of trusts (65 per cent) had only obstetric units.

“The remaining trusts had combinations of obstetric and midwife-led units; either alongside the main unit, or midwife-led units in separate freestanding premises.

Sir Ian Kennedy, the Commission’s chairman, said: “There is no doubt that the report contains some tough messages. There is clearly more to be done to improve the quality of clinical care as well as the experiences of women.

“The matters raised and the views expressed must not be ignored.”

And he was due to tell managers and commissioners at a conference on maternity services at Villa Park’s Holte Suite: “So now it’s over to you.

“We can paint a picture but only you can make a difference. I urge you to seize with both hands the opportunity that this review has created to push maternity services higher up the agenda and to make lasting improvements for women.”

The report also highlighted previous findings, including a patient survey which found that 89 per cent of women rated their care during birth and labour as good or better.

The Government’s chief nursing officer, Christine Beasley, said: “We welcome the HCC report which acknowledges that most women have a positive experience of pregnancy and childbirth.

“The HCC review shows that 89 per cent rated their care as ‘excellent, very good or good’ and recognises that much good work has been done since their last report.

“Women tell us they want more choice in their maternity care, including how and where they give birth and we are listening. That is why, in January, we announced an additional £330 million funding and action to recruit an additional 4,000 midwives by 2012.

“In addition, NHS Choices will also shortly launch a pregnancy care planner, which has been developed with midwives and other stakeholders to help women stay in control throughout their pregnancy and in the first few weeks with their new baby.’’

“They can also compare the performance of maternity services across England.”

Shadow health minister Anne Milton said: “This report exposes Labour’s neglect of maternity services.

“Doctors and midwives are working hard to give women the best possible care, but the Government isn’t giving them the support they need.”