Maternity Statistics: Method of Delivery, 1997-2007

The Release
Statistical Release 37/2008 (PDF 193kB)

Just over 33,600 live births were registered in Wales in 2006 (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.

Key Facts

• The proportion of hospital deliveries by caesarean section rose from 20 per cent in 1997-98 to 27 per cent in 2006-07.  An estimate of the national caesarean rate would include home and other births, making the Wales rate 25.9 per cent instead of 26.9 per cent.

In 2006-07:

• 17 per cent of mothers under 20 years old had caesarean deliveries.  This compares to 40 per cent of mothers over 40 years old.
• 71 per cent of mothers under 20 years old had unassisted deliveries.  This compares with 51 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.
• 49 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.
• 19 per cent of all deliveries in Wales were induced, with 3 per cent being surgical inductions and 16 per cent being other inductions.
• The principal recorded complication of labour and delivery was perineal laceration, recorded in 34 per cent of deliveries.

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

Further information can be found on the StatsWales website.

Next Update:
March 2009 (provisional - to be confirmed on the Due Out Soon page)