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Women should lie on their side while giving birth rather than adopting an upright position, say experts. 

Expectant mothers are often told to stay active in labour or adopt upright positions to prevent slowing down delivery, ease pain and reduce the chance of needing intervention such as forceps.

But a new study has found that women are actually more likely to have a natural birth without any intervention if they lay on their side.

The length of labour was also slightly shorter when women were lying down and they were no more likely to need a suction device or forceps delivery, Cesarean section or to suffer tearing.