Maternity Statistics, Wales: method of delivery, 1998-2008

Statistics on Maternity Statistics, Wales: method of delivery include data for Wales for the year ended 31 March 2008. The latest release updates the statistics previously released on 18 March 2008.

Just over 34,400 live births were registered in Wales in 2007 (data provided by the Office for National Statistics). Just under 4 per cent of births took place at home or elsewhere; most babies (96%) were born in a hospital setting. This Release provides data on the method of delivery for hospital deliveries only.

Birth registration data is made available routinely by the Office for National Statistics and is included in the Welsh Assembly Government’s publications and website.

The proportion of hospital deliveries by caesarean section rose from 21 per cent in 1998-99 to 26 per cent in 2007-08.  An estimate of the national caesarean rate would include home and other births, making the Wales rate 25.9 per cent instead of 26.1 per cent.

In 2007-08:

• 18 per cent of mothers under 20 years old had caesarean deliveries.  This compares to 38 per cent of mothers over 40 years old.
• 69 per cent of mothers under 20 years old had unassisted deliveries.  This compares with 50 per cent of mothers over 40 years old.
• The most common age range for deliveries was the 25 to 34 year-old age group for all types of delivery.
• 45 per cent of mothers who had caesareans stayed in hospital 4 or more days.  However, only 11 per cent of mothers who had unassisted births stayed in hospital 4 or more days.
• 18 per cent of all deliveries in Wales were induced, with 3 per cent being surgical inductions and 15 per cent being other inductions.
• The principal recorded complication of labour and delivery was perineal laceration, recorded in 34 per cent of deliveries.

Further information can be found on the StatsWales website.

Contact

Tel: 029 2082 3598
E-mail: stats.healthinfo@wales.gsi.gov.uk