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NHS maternity statistics, England: 2003-04

  • Document type:
    Statistical Bulletin
  • Author:
    Government Statistical Service for the Department of Health
  • Published date:
    31 March 2005
  • Primary audience:
    Professionals
  • Product number:
    ISBN 1 84182 955 2
  • Gateway reference:
    2005
  • Series number:
    Statistical Bulletin 2005/10
  • Pages:
    42
  • Copyright holder:
    Crown copyright

This bulletin summarises information from the Hospital Episode Statistics system relating to NHS maternities in the year 2003-04 and includes some comparisons with similar data from earlier years.

Key facts

Between 2002-03 and 2003-04:

  •  the caesarean rate increased slightly from 22.0% to 22.7%

In 2003-04:

  • over 20% of deliveries were induced
  • 23% of deliveries were by caesarean section;
    more than half of these were emergency caesareans
  • about 12% were instrumental deliveries
  • an estimated 46% of deliveries were 'normal deliveries' defined as those without surgical intervention, use of instruments, induction, epidural or general anaesthetic
  • women with spontaneous deliveries spent on average 1 day in hospital after delivery, women with instrumental deliveries 1 or 2 days and women with caesarean deliveries 3 or 4 days
  • During delivery about 1/3 of women had an epidural, general or spinal anaesthetic
  • 12% of women had an episiotomy

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