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TABLE 19:

Highlights:
Tab 19

TABLE 19
PERINATAL COMPLICATIONS IN LIVE BIRTHS BY AGE OF MOTHER
British Columbia, 1997-2001 and 2002

• Perinatal complications were noted in 13,463 births or one in three (33.7%) live births in 2002. These complications were noted in 34.9% of live births in 1997-2001.

• The proportion of births that had perinatal complications was highest (37.6%) in births to teenage mothers. Perinatal complications occurred in 33.8% of live births to mothers aged 20-29, 33.3% of live births to mothers aged 30-39, and 34.2% of live births to mothers 40 years of age and older.

• Intrauterine hypoxia and birth asphyxia accounted for almost half (47.7%) of the perinatal complications noted in 2002. The next largest categories of perinatal complications were complications of pregnancy, labour and delivery (15.0%), short gestation (14.8%), and long gestation and high birth weight (10.9%).