Statistical Services - BC Vital Statistics Agency

[Click here to download a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet of the above table]

Approximately two thirds (62.8%) of live births in 2001 were delivered spontaneously: 62.5% (25,250) were spontaneous vertex (head first) and 0.3% (128) were spontaneous breech (buttocks or feet first). One in 24 births required the use of forceps (1,710 births) and vacuum was used for almost one in 15 (2,783 births).
In 2001, just over one fourth of all live births (26.0%) was delivered by cesarean section (10,504) and almost two thirds of these (6,851) were first cesareans. The 2001 cesarean section rate was 260.15 per 1,000 live births.
Among teenage mothers (less than 20 years of age), one in six live births (16.6% or 294 births) were delivered by cesarean section. Of these, 5.1% (15) were repeat cesarean sections.
One quarter (24.5%) of live births to mothers aged 20 to 34 years was delivered by cesarean section (7,514). Of these deliveries, 32.4% were repeat C-sections (2,436).
For mothers aged 35 or older, more than one in three live births (33.8%) was delivered by cesarean section (2,696). Of these deliveries, 44.6% (1,202) were repeat C-sections.

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