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Birth - Related
Statistics

TABLE 11:

Highlights:
Tab 11

• Approximately two thirds (65.1%) of live births in 2000 were delivered spontaneously: 64.5% (26,115) were spontaneous vertex (head first) and 0.6% (245) were spontaneous breech (buttocks or feet first). One in 21 births required the use of forceps (1,901 births) and vacuum was used for one in 15 (2,692 births).

• In 2000, nearly one fourth of all live births (23.3%) were delivered by cesarean section (9,399) and almost two thirds of these (6,055) were first cesareans. The 2000 cesarean section rate was 232.26 per 1,000 live births.

• Among teenage mothers (less than 20 years of age), one in seven live births (15.1% or 278 births) were delivered by cesarean section. Of these, 6.1% (17) were repeat cesarean sections.

• One fifth (21.8%) of live births to mothers aged 20 to 34 years were delivered by cesarean section (6,734). Of these deliveries, 33.8% were repeat C-sections (2,278).

• For mothers aged 35 or older, more than one in three live births (30.6%) was delivered by cesarean section (2,387). Of these deliveries, 43.9% (1,049) were repeat C-sections.