What Number of Babies Born Each Year Are Born Vaginally
The purpose of this release is to provide a statistical overview of maternity and births in Wales with analyses of mothers' characteristics. The data and analyses are used to inform Welsh's Government's maternity policy development.
The official source for the number of births in Wales is published by the Part for National Statistics (ONS), which counts nascence registrations. However, this release focusses on statistics for births using data sourced from Motherhood Indicators dataset (MI ds) and the National Customs Child Wellness Database (NCCHD), which allow for more detailed analysis than the ONS data.
The Maternity Indicators dataset combines a child's birth tape with their mother's initial assessment record (where possible). All statistics produced from this source are experimental statistics. Where statistics are sourced from this dataset in this release, the abyss of data items are highlighted.
The National Community Child Health Database consists of anonymised records for all children born, resident or treated in Wales and born after 1987. The database combines information from local Community Child Health Organisation databases which are held past local wellness boards, and statistics based on this source are official statistics.
Chart 1 shows how the number of births in Wales compares across the main data sources. Data from the National Community Child Health Database (NCCHD) has very good coverage and abyss, with the number of births closely adjustment to birth registration statistics by ONS. Motherhood Indicators dataset (MI ds) was established in 2016 and the number of births differs from the other two sources primarily because it does not include births to Welsh residents in English hospitals.
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Note that at the time of publication, the latest available ONS births data is from 2019, but data is bachelor for 2020 in both the Maternity Indicators dataset and National Community Child Health Database.
Data on the number of antenatal records, deliveries, live births, stillbirths and total births past local health board are provided in Table one; data on births by Welsh and non-Welsh resident mothers are in Table two; and data on deliveries and births by maternity unit are in Table 3.
Motherhood and birth statistics: 2020 (MS Ecxel)
Data presented in this section refers to the 26,352 initial assessment records (or pregnancies) included in the Maternity Indicators dataset in 2020.
Initial assessments by gestational age
Early on access to maternity services increases the opportunity to promote and better the wellness and well-beingness of pregnant women through early sign-posting to appropriate services and provision of evidence based information. It is an aim that all pregnant women should take their initial assessment by the 10th completed week of gestation.
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In 2020, at to the lowest degree 76% of women who had an initial assessment ('booked in') with maternity services had received it by the xth completed week of pregnancy or earlier. This is 4 percentage points higher than in 2019.
Note that some women may have had their first initial assessment before the date that has been recorded in the Maternity Indicators dataset. This is considering the merging methodology for the initial assessment and nascency record is based on when these occur in the same health board. It is possible that a mother could have an initial assessment in one wellness board, early in the pregnancy, but then if she gives birth in another health board for any reason (for instance, unexpected complications, or present in a different health board expanse at the fourth dimension) she will take some other initial assessment recorded at the second health board where she gives nativity. This may explain the small peak around 39 and 40 weeks in Nautical chart 2.
Table 4: Percentage of women who had an initial assessment carried out by 10 completed weeks of pregnancy, by wellness board providing the service and age of female parent, 2016 to 2020 (MS Excel)
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The pct of women who had received an initial assessment with maternity services by the end of the 10th completed week of pregnancy varied across historic period groups from a picayune over half of the under 16 age group (56%) to a little over 3-quarters of mothers in their late 20s and early 30s (78% for mothers aged 25 to 29 and 77% for mothers anile 30 to 34).
The proportion increased betwixt 2019 and 2020 in all age groups. Annotation equally there are few mothers aged under 16 and 45 or over, there may be large year-to-yr changes due to natural volatility. Because historic period groups where more than 100 births occurred, the largest percentage point increase was seen in the 40 to 44 age group (from 65% to 71%).
Table 4: Percentage of women who had an initial cess carried out by 10 completed weeks of pregnancy, by health board providing the service and historic period of female parent, 2016 to 2020 (MS Excel)
Mental wellness
At the initial assessment, mothers are asked to complete a questionnaire where they can self-report whatever mental wellness conditions they endure from. The conditions listed on the questionnaire are:
- puerperal psychosis (astringent postnatal low)
- bi-polar effective disorder/manic depression
- psychosis; psychotic low
- schizophrenia
- other
Paradigm
Over a quarter (27%) of mothers reported a mental health condition at their initial assessment. This is 2 percent points higher than the previous yr and viii percentage points college than in 2016 (first twelvemonth of comparable data).
Note that while more than 90% of records had valid data for this data particular, across almost health boards, in most years, in that location are some data quality issues. Only 56% of records for Cardiff and Vale had valid information in 2016 and 88% in Hywel Dda between 2016 and 2018 and in 2020. Data recorded in Betsi Cadwaladr and Cwm Taf Morgannwg appears to have been recorded on a different ground to other health boards and information for these health boards are excluded from the Wales total figures.
Tabular array v: Per centum of women at initial assessment who had reported a mental health condition, by health board providing the service and age of mother, 2016 to 2020 (MS Excel)
Prototype
The proportion of women who reported a mental wellness status at their initial assessment varied between age groups. Considering just age groups where more than 100 births occurred, younger mothers (aged 16 to 24) had the highest rate of mental health conditions being recorded; while mothers aged xl to 44 had the lowest rate. Note as there are few mothers aged under sixteen and 45 or over, there may be large year-to-year changes due to natural volatility.
For most age groups, the proportion of women who reported a mental health status increased slightly between 2019 and 2020, with the largest increase in mothers anile 20 to 24 (28% to 33%).
Tabular array v: Percentage of women at initial cess who had reported a mental health condition, by health board providing the service and age of mother, 2016 to 2020 (MS Excel)
Obesity
At the initial assessment, mothers have their height and weight measured and their Trunk Mass Index (BMI) is calculated. A person with a BMI of xxx or greater is considered obese, and obesity increases the adventure of many wellness complications.
Epitome
Only under a third (29%) of mothers had a BMI of 30 or greater at their initial assessment. This is i percentage point higher than the previous year and 3 percentage points higher than in 2016 (first year of comparable data).
Note that more than than xc% of records had valid data for both height and weight information items, across all health boards, in almost years. The exceptions are: Cwm Taf in 2016 (77%) and in 2019 (88%); and Betsi Cadwaladr in 2019 (89%).
Data for BMI is calculated based on heights and weights of the female parent; however note that records where weight was below 30kg and above 250kg and/or where pinnacle was under 120cm or above 200cm take been excluded from the analysis, equally measurements outside of these thresholds are unlikely to be have been recorded accurately. Also this assay only includes mothers whose initial assessment was completed at xiv completed weeks of pregnancy or earlier. This filter is applied every bit weight measurements for mothers who have initial assessments in the subsequently stages of pregnancy will exist affected by the growth of the baby.
Tabular array six: Percentage of women at initial assessment who had a BMI 30+, past Health Board providing the service and age of mother, 2016 to 2020 (MS Excel)
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The percent of mothers with a BMI of thirty or more did non vary widely between about age groups; all age groups between twenty and 44 had rates between 28% and 31%. The youngest mothers aged 19 or less had the lowest per centum of BMI 30 or more, but had the largest pct indicate increase since the previous year.
There were generally very modest changes since the previous year across all other historic period groups where there were 100 or more births. However, almost historic period groups have an upward trend since 2016.
Note as there are few mothers aged nether 16 and 45 or over, there may be big year-to-year changes due to natural volatility.
Epitome
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines recommends a total weight gain of between half dozen.8 to 11.iii kg for overweight women (those with a BMI of 25 to 29.9).
32% of women gained the recommended amount of weight betwixt initial cess and nascency in 2020. This was 1 pct point lower than the previous year but 2 percentage points higher than in 2016 (first year information was available).
The percentage of women who gained no more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy was lower for women who had high BMIs at the start of their pregnancy, than women in good for you BMI groups.
Smoking at initial assessment and birth
During the initial assessment and at birth, women are either asked to cocky-report if they are a smoker or they are tested with a carbon monoxide (CO) monitor.
Prototype
In 2020, 17% of women were recorded as smokers at their initial assessment. This is the aforementioned as the previous yr and ii per centum points lower than in 2016 (first year of comparable data).
Annotation that more 90% of records had valid data for the smoking status at initial assessment data item, across all health boards, in all years. However, statistics on smoking at initial assessment and nativity are limited by the way in which the data is collected. If CO monitoring is not available, data reliability is dependent on the mother self-reporting authentic information. E-Cigarette use should not be recorded in this data particular and would non exist detected by a CO monitor; however in practice some mothers may self-report as a smoker if they utilise e-cigarettes and exist incorrectly recorded as a smoker. Likewise some mothers who do smoke may self-written report as a non-smoker and exist incorrectly recorded as a non-smoker.
Table 7: Percent of women who were recorded every bit smoking at initial assessment and at nascency, by health board providing the service and age of mother, 2016 to 2020 (MS Excel)
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The proportion of women who were smokers at their initial assessment was higher for younger women. One in 3 (34%) women aged 16 to 19 were recorded equally smokers at initial assessment compared to around i in six (17%) women aged 25 to 29, and one in ten (11%) women anile forty to 44.
Smoking rates at initial assessment have fallen over the 5 years of information for most age groups. Considering only age groups where more than than 100 births occurred, the most marked alter was in mothers aged 16 to 19 where the pct of mothers smoking fell from 38% in 2016 to 34% in 2020. There was yet, an annual increase of ii percentage points in this age group.
Paradigm
In Wales, around one in half-dozen mothers (17%) were recorded equally being smokers at the time they gave nascence in 2020. This is one percentage point college than in the previous year simply the aforementioned equally in 2016 (showtime year of comparable data).
Note that while more than than 90% of records had valid data for smoking status at nativity, across nigh all wellness boards, in virtually all years prior to 2020, there is a large pct of missing data in 2020. This mainly furnishings Hywel Dda health board where just 30% of records take valid information, but Cwm Taf Morgannwg (lxx%) and Powys (76%) also have lower than usual percentage completeness.
Table vii: Per centum of women who were recorded every bit smoking at initial assessment and at birth, past health board providing the service and age of female parent, 2016 to 2020 (MS Excel)
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The proportion of women who smoked at the fourth dimension of birth was much college for younger mothers than older mothers. Just over one in three (35%) women anile 16 to 19 were smoking at birth compared to only over 1 in vi (18%) of women anile 25 to 29 and but over ane in ten (11%) women aged 35 to 39.
Of the age groups where there were more than 100 births, the proportion of women who smoked at nascency has remained fairly steady in most age groups over the past five years. However at that place were some relatively large annual changes in some age groups, with the percentage of smokers anile 16 to 19 and 40 to 44 both increasing by five pct points when compared with last year.
Prototype
This analysis is based on women who had valid smoking information at both initial assessment and birth. Between 2016 and 2019, there were more 94% of records with valid data, but 84% of records had valid information in 2020, largely as a effect of missing information for smoking at birth in Hywel Dda, Cwm Taf Morgannwg and Powys.
In 2020, 18% of women who were smokers at the initial assessment were non smokers at nascence. This has not varied much over the fourth dimension series and is the same percentage equally concluding twelvemonth and in 2016 (the showtime year of comparable data).
As smoking status is recorded at two points in fourth dimension just, the data will not show if mothers were smoking throughout the duration of their pregnancy, or how frequently they smoked. For the purpose of the analysis, those mothers who were recorded every bit smoking at initial assessment but not smoking at nativity are classed as mothers who 'stopped smoking' during pregnancy.
Table 8: Percentage of women who 'stopped smoking' during pregnancy, past health lath providing the service, 2016 to 2020 (MS Excel)
Data in this section refers to the 27,321 deliveries recorded in the Maternity Indicators dataset which took place in 2020.
Onset of labour
Onset of labour is the method by which the process of labour began and includes methods that are used to induce labour, such as surgical or medical induction or a combination of the two. Methods that are used to advance labour are not included.
Data was recorded in the Maternity Indicators dataset for every health lath; however in Hywel Dda and Aneurin Bevan health boards, labour onset has not been recorded as 'caesarean' when an elective caesarean section birth occurred in all years of data. Every bit a effect of this data quality effect, these wellness boards have been excluded from the assay for each year. For 2020, the statistics presented at Wales-level are based on the nineteen,114 deliveries which took identify at the remaining v health boards.
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In 2020, 9,371 (50%) labours began spontaneously. This is i percentage bespeak lower than the previous year and 4 percentage points lower than in 2016.
3,084 (16%) labours began with a caesarean section. This is the same as the previous year but i percentage indicate higher than in 2016.
6,417 (34%) labours began with an consecration. This is one percentage point higher than the previous year and 3 percentage points higher than in 2016.
Table 25: Manner of onset of labour by mother's age group, Wales, 2020 (MS Excel)
Tabular array 9: Mode of onset of labour by health board providing the service, 2020 (MS Excel)
Hurting relief
An epidural is a method of pain relief used for mothers in labour. It involves an injection of a local anaesthetic into the space outside the dura mater of the spinal cord in the lower dorsum region to produce a loss of sensation especially in the abdomen or pelvic region.
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In 2020, an epidural was administered in almost a quarter (24%) of deliveries. This is two percentage points higher than the previous year and 1 percentage point higher than in 2016.
Note that the percentage of records with valid information for epidurals is mixed across health boards and years, and in 2020, 83% of records had valid data at all Wales level. four out of 7 health boards had valid information for 99% or more of their records. Aneurin Bevan health lath had the everyman percentage of valid data (35%).
Tabular array 10: Epidurals, by health board providing the service, 2020 (MS Excel)
Mode of birth
In that location are three modes of birth recorded in the Maternity Indicators dataset and they are defined as:
- caesarean section: elective and emergency caesarean section deliveries
- instrumental: forceps cephalic deliveries and ventouse (vacuum) deliveries
- spontaneous vaginal: baby born by maternal try
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In 2020, the bulk (61%) of births were spontaneous (unassisted) births, while 1 in three births (29%) were delivered by caesarean section.
A slight majority of all caesarean section births were emergencies, which happened in fifteen% of all births.
While there is piffling change in the percentage of births with each mode, there are slight trends over the five year period showing an increment in caesarean sections and a decrease in spontaneous births.
Note that at least 99% of births have valid data recorded for mode of nascency beyond all wellness boards and all years.
Tabular array 11: Mode of birth, past health lath providing the service, 2020 (MS Excel)
Birth outcomes and characteristics
Information presented in this section focusses on the 28,781 live births recorded in the National Community Kid Health Database. Births are analysed rather than deliveries, since twins or triplets could be delivered past different ways.
Number of babies at commitment
Births can be recorded every bit singletons (one baby born); multiples (twins, triplets or more than babies born) and stillbirths.
| Year | Live births: singletons | Live births: multiples | Live births: total | Still births | All births: total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 34,723 | 959 | 35,682 | 161 | 35,843 |
| 2012 | 34,276 | 1,074 | 35,350 | 168 | 35,518 |
| 2013 | 32,823 | 999 | 33,822 | 151 | 33,973 |
| 2014 | 32,646 | 1,002 | 33,648 | 173 | 33,821 |
| 2015 | 32,318 | 1,043 | 33,361 | 155 | 33,516 |
| 2016 | 32,001 | one,003 | 33,004 | 163 | 33,167 |
| 2017 | 31,422 | 814 | 32,236 | 151 | 32,387 |
| 2018 | 30,453 | 876 | 31,329 | 141 | 31,470 |
| 2019 | 29,004 | 724 | 29,728 | 126 | 29,854 |
| 2020 | 28,163 | 618 | 28,781 | 103 | 28,884 |
Source: National Community Kid Health Database (NCCHD)
Of the 28,884 births recorded in the National Community Child Health Database in Wales in 2020, over 99% (28,781) were alive births. Of these 2% (618) were multiple births.
Note that valid information has been recorded for outcome of nascency in nearly all of births across all health boards and years.
Table 12: Live births, still births and number of babies past health board providing the service, 2020 (MS Excel)
Home births
Health boards in Wales provide access to a range of services for women to requite nascency including home births.
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Over the past xx years, the large majority of births have occurred in infirmary settings in Wales. The highest rate of dwelling births on tape was in 2009 (3.7%), since and so the trend had been downward, until at that place were increases in the two about recent years. In 2020, 3.3% of live births happened at home, while 0.2% of births happened in other locations than hospitals or homes.
Tabular array 13: Births past local authority and place of birth, 2020 (MS Excel)
Gestational age
Babies built-in prematurely or 'pre-term' (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) may take a higher risk of immediate or longer-term health problems.
Prototype
Merely over half (52%) of births occurred when the gestational age was 39 or twoscore completed weeks (one week either side of the typical expected due appointment); while viii% of births occurred when the gestational age was 36 weeks or fewer (pre-term) and 4% of births when the gestational age was 42 weeks or more.
Prototype
The proportion of premature live births (36 full weeks of pregnancy or less) has fluctuated around vii% and 8% over the course of the time series, with a slight upward tendency over the concluding ten years. Conversely the proportion of live births at 42 weeks or more has been on a slight downward trend over the last decade simply has stabilised in recent years.
Table fourteen: Alive births by gestational age, by health board providing the service and age of mother, 2016 to 2020 (MS Excel)
Birthweight
Low birthweight (less than 2.5kg) is associated with health risks in an infant's first year of life.
The percentage of live single births with a birthweight of less than 2.5kg is one of 46 national indicators used to measure progress against the wellbeing goals in the Well-existence of Future Generations Act.
Low birthweights are ofttimes linked to low gestational historic period (where the baby is born before 37 weeks of gestation).
Prototype
The percentage of all live births with low birthweight has remained adequately steady over the long term, with the rate for all alive births fluctuating at around vii%. For singleton live births, the rate has typically fluctuated around v.v% over the class of the time series, with a slight up trend in more contempo years.
In 2020, 7.2% of all births had low birthweight. This is 0.1 per centum points lower than in the previous year only 0.4 percentage points higher than x years ago.
In 2020, half dozen.1% of singleton births had low birthweight. This is 0.ane percentage points college than in the previous twelvemonth and 0.7 per centum points higher than ten years agone.
Table xv: Live births by birthweight, by health board providing the service and age of mother, 2020 (MS Excel)
Charts 21 and 22 show the spread of birthweights for singleton and multiple births in 2020.
Epitome
Epitome
2 thirds (67%) of singleton births had a birthweight of betwixt 3kg and 4kg, with a median birthweight of three.42kg and hateful birthweight of 3.38kg.
Two thirds (66%) of multiple births had a birthweight of betwixt 2kg and 3kg, with a median birthweight of 2.40kg and mean birthweight of 2.28kg.
Gestational age and birthweight
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Chart 23 shows how birthweights are related to gestational age.
In 2020, 92% of births (or 322 babies) born at gestations less than 32 weeks and 53% (or 987 babies) born at 32-36 weeks had depression birthweights (less than 2.5kg).
The large majority (85%) of babies built-in inside two weeks either side of the expected due appointment (37-41 weeks) were of healthy weight (2.5kg-4kg).
Less than one% (or 4 babies) built-in at gestations 42 weeks or more had low birthweights, just over a quarter (27% or 278 babies) weighed more than 4kg.
Table 16: Live births by birthweight and gestational age, 2020 (MS Excel)
Births and ethnicity
| White | Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic | |
|---|---|---|
| Alive births | 18,770 | 2,204 |
| Percentage of live births | 89.5% | x.five% |
| Singleton live births | eighteen,374 | 2,174 |
| Singleton birthweight | ||
| Beneath 2.5kg (%) | 6.1% | 6.2% |
| Between two.5kg and 4kg (%) | 81.iv% | 86.iii% |
| Over 4kg (%) | 12.5% | vii.5% |
| Singleton mean birthweight (kg) | iii.39 | iii.30 |
| Singleton median birthweight (kg) | 3.43 | 3.35 |
Source: Motherhood Indicators data set
(a) Ethnicity status was recorded on 20,974 births out of 28,697 births with stated birthweight (73%).
Of the xx,974 births for which an ethnicity status was recorded in 2020, 10.five% were from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups.
There was little difference in the percentage of babies with depression birthweights between ethnic groups, with 6.2% of minority indigenous singleton babies having low birthweight compared to 6.1% singleton babies of white ethnicity.
The median birthweight for minority ethnic singleton babies was iii.35kg compared to iii.43kg for babies of white ethnicity.
Note that the ethnicity data item is much less consummate than almost other data items in the National Community Child Wellness Database, and this limits the use of the data. In 2020, 20,974 out of 28,697 (73%) births had a valid ethnic group recorded.
Table 24: Alive births by ethnicity and birthweight, 2018 to 2020 (MS Excel)
Births and birthweights past female parent's historic period
Information for teenage conceptions is published by ONS.
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The pct of live births to mothers anile under twenty has fallen every year since 2004, while the percentage of live births to older mothers has increased slightly over the same menstruum.
iv% of live births in 2020 were to mothers aged under 20; this is the lowest on record, while 3% of all alive births in 2020 were to mothers anile 40 or older.
The vast majority of live births in 2020 were born to women anile 20 to 39 (93% in 2020).
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The proportion of live births with depression birthweight (less than 2.5kg) is largest for mothers anile under 24, or aged 40 or over.
The proportion of babies built-in at less than 37 weeks gestation is largest in the youngest mothers and mothers anile 35 or older.
Note this data tin be volatile from year-to-year for mothers aged under sixteen and 45 or over as at that place are so few live births to mothers of these ages.
Table 27: Alive births by mothers' historic period grouping, 2011 to 2020 (MS Excel)
APGAR scores
APGAR (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration) is a quick exam performed on a infant at i and 5 minutes after nascence. The ane-infinitesimal score determines how well the baby tolerated the birthing process. The 5-minute score tells the medico how well the baby is doing outside the female parent's womb. A score of 7 or above is a sign that the new born is in good wellness.
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In 2020, the large bulk of babies (98%) had an APGAR score of seven or over at 5 minutes.
Table 17: Percentage of live births with an APGAR score of vii or over at 5 minutes, by wellness lath providing the service and age of mother, 2016 to 2020 (MS Excel)
Healthy births
The 'percentage of births considered to exist healthy births' is a Welsh Government Maternity Indicator. Only complete records are included in the salubrious births analysis. This means each tape must have valid entries for all the fields related to the criteria below to be included in the denominator.
Any of the post-obit criteria exclude the birth from being considered as 'healthy':
- an onset of labour other than spontaneous
- augmentation in labour
- caesarean section, utilise of forceps or ventouse
- gestational age of less than 37 weeks
- stillbirth
- epidural in labour
- tertiary or fourth degree perineal trauma or episiotomy
- birthweight of less than ii.5kg or greater than 4.0kg
- blood loss of greater than 500ml
- APGAR score at 5 minutes less than 7
Data presented is sourced from the 27,691 total births which were recorded in the Maternity Indicators dataset in 2020. Of these, xix,573 births had valid data for all component data items in the healthy births calculation.
Paradigm
In 2020, 23% of births were classed as 'healthy births' using the Welsh Government definition.
This is unchanged from the previous year and 1 percentage point lower than in 2016.
Note that the pct of records with valid data for all data items which are used to calculate the healthy birth statistic is variable and this limits the apply of this statistic. At the all-Wales level, the highest pct of data completeness was in 2018 with 77% of records included, while the lowest level was in 2020 with 71% completeness. Information completeness is more variable at health board level.
Data previously published on 28 May 2020 on healthy births between 2016 and 2019 has been revised in this publication. The revised figures are between five and 6 percentage points lower than previously published due to an error in their calculation, and affects all health boards.
Tabular array 18: Percentage of live births considered healthy, by health board providing the service, 2016 to 2020 (MS Excel)
Breastfeeding is recognised as being of crucial importance for the health of babies and their mothers.
Breastfeeding by historic period of child
The Motherhood Indicators dataset records the female parent'due south intention to breastfeed rather than whether breastfeeding at birth actually occurred. Since the indicator is about the mother, data presented refers to the 27,321 mothers who delivered in 2020.
Data on breastfeeding at nascence, and on babies turning ten days, six weeks and 6 months are recorded in the National Community Child Wellness Database and data presented here refers to the records where at that place was any breastfeeding. This includes babies fed with solely breastmilk, and those who were combination fed.
For breastfeeding at nascency, information presented hither refers to the 28,781 live births in 2020. For breastfeeding at the other historic period points, data refers to the babies turning that historic period in 2020: 28,672 babies turning ten days, 28,872 turning 6 weeks, 29,319 turning half dozen months.
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At all points of data drove, annual breastfeeding rates are the highest on tape in 2020.
At least 17,102 mothers intended to breastfeed their babies at nascence in 2020. This is a rate of 63.nine% of all mothers with a known breastfeeding status, ane.one percentage points higher than the previous year and 1.eight percentage points higher than in 2016. Note that 97.nine% of records had valid data for this data item in 2020.
At least 16,940 babies were breastfed at birth in 2020. This is a rate of 63.5% of all mothers with a known breastfeeding condition, 1.6 pct college than the previous year and ii.6 percentage points higher than in 2016. Note that 92.seven% of records had valid information for this data item in 2020.
At to the lowest degree xiii,167 babies were breastfed when 10 days old in 2020. This is a rate of 51.vii% of all mothers with a known breastfeeding condition, ii.7 percentage higher than the previous year and 6.1 percentage points higher than in 2016. Notation that 88.8% of records had valid information for this data detail in 2020.
At to the lowest degree 7,685 babies were breastfed at 6 weeks quondam in 2020. This is a charge per unit of 37.iv% of all mothers with a known breastfeeding status, 3.0 percentage higher than the previous year and three.8 percentage points higher than in 2016. Annotation that 71.ii% of records had valid data for this data item in 2020.
At least 4,968 babies were breastfed at 6 months erstwhile in 2020. This is a rate of 25.3% of all mothers with a known breastfeeding status, two.viii percentage higher than the previous year and five.viii percentage points higher than in 2016. Annotation that 67.0% of records had valid data for this data item in 2020.
Note that breastfeeding data at all points in time is subject to information quality bug as not all records are complete. Almanac and quarterly breastfeeding data with information completeness percentages are published on StatsWales, by local health board.
Breastfeeding information later birth is collected when children accept health visitor and GP appointments through the Health Child Wales Programme. If a child does not receive a contact, their breastfeeding information will exist missing at that contact point.
Breastfeeding and parity
The Maternity Indicators dataset records how many times mothers have previously given birth (parity), which can be analysed with their intention to breastfeed.
Paradigm
Nautical chart 28 shows that a higher percentage of beginning-fourth dimension mothers intend to breastfeed their babies than mothers who take given birth more than than once. In 2020, 69% of first time mothers (nulliparous) intended to breastfeed, 64% of mothers who had given birth once previously (primiparous) intended to breastfeed, and 54% of mothers who had given birth more than than once (multiparous) intended to breastfeed. There is little change over the last 5 years for any category.
Table 19: Per centum of women who intended to breastfeed, by parity and health board providing the service, 2020 (MS Excel)
Breastfeeding and age of mother
Prototype
Babies of older mothers were more probable to exist breastfed than those with younger mothers. In 2020, when only considering age groups where more 100 births occurred, the highest charge per unit of breastfeeding at birth was in the 40-44 age group where 72% of babies with a known breastfeeding status were breastfed, while the lowest rate was the 16-nineteen historic period group where 37% of babies with a known breastfeeding status were breastfed.
Table 20: Breastfeeding at nascency by mothers' historic period group, 2011 to 2020 (MS Excel)
Breastfeeding and place of birth
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Of those with a place of birth recorded, babies born at home are more likely to be breastfed than those born in hospitals.
In 2020, 943 babies were built-in at habitation, and 76% were breastfed at nascence. 27,682 were born in hospital and 63% were breastfed at birth.
Note that in 2020, 60 babies' place of birth was recorded equally 'born in transit' while 96 had no stated place of birth.
Table 21: Breastfeeding at birth by identify of birth, 2011 to 2020 (MS Excel)
Quality and methodology information
The official source for the number of births in Wales is published by the Office for National Statistics, which counts birth registrations. However, this release focusses on statistics for births using data sourced from Motherhood Indicators dataset (MI ds) and the National Community Kid Health Database (NCCHD), which allow for more detailed analysis than the ONS information. The number of births volition differ between these sources as they are collected on a unlike ground; a comparing of the number of births counted in each source is provided in Chart one and more information on data sources is provided in the quality report.
The Motherhood Indicators dataset combines a kid's birth tape with their mother'south initial assessment record (where possible). All statistics produced from this source are experimental statistics as the dataset is still relatively new and not all data items have a high percentage of valid data recorded.
The National Customs Child Wellness Database consists of anonymised records for all children built-in, resident or treated in Wales and born after 1987. The database combines information from local Community Kid Health System databases which are held by local health boards and used by them to administer child immunisation and wellness surveillance programmes. It is a well-established data source, with a loftier level of data completeness and statistics based on this source are official statistics
The percentage of valid records for each data item used in this release from both sources and more detailed information on the sources of data and analyses in this statistical release are provided in the quality written report.
Data previously published on 28 May 2020 on healthy births between 2016 and 2019 has been revised in this publication. The revised figures are between 5 and 6 percentage points lower than previously published due to an error in their calculation, and affects all health boards.
Well-existence of Future Generations Act (WFG)
The Well-being of Future Generations Human activity 2015 is near improving the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales. The Act puts in place seven wellbeing goals for Wales. These are for a more equal, prosperous, resilient, healthier and globally responsible Wales, with cohesive communities and a vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language. Under section (10)(one) of the Act, the Welsh Ministers must (a) publish indicators ("national indicators") that must exist applied for the purpose of measuring progress towards the achievement of the wellbeing goals, and (b) lay a copy of the national indicators before Senedd Cymru. The 46 national indicators were laid in March 2016 and this releases includes 1 of the national indicators namely The percentage of alive single births with a birthweight of under ii.5kg.
Data on the indicators, along with narratives for each of the wellbeing goals and associated technical information is bachelor in the Wellbeing of Wales report.
Further information on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.
The statistics included in this release could as well provide supporting narrative to the national indicators and be used by public services boards in relation to their local wellbeing assessments and local wellbeing plans.
What Number of Babies Born Each Year Are Born Vaginally
Source: https://gov.wales/maternity-and-birth-statistics-2020-html