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Publication, Part of

Maternity Services Monthly Statistics April 2020, experimental statistics

Official statistics

Births

Gestation length at birth

8% of babies were born premature

'Preterm' births are babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. The mortality rate is higher for babies born preterm, and babies also have increased rates of disability. NICE recommends that pregnant women at increased risk of preterm labour should be given information about the potential signs and symptoms.


Delivery method

The decision on the method of delivery should take into account women's needs and preferences. Caesarean sections can be performed electively, or as an emergency where it is clinically required.


Administrative Sources

Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS): this is a patient-level data set that captures information about activity carried out by Maternity Services relating to a mother and baby(s), from the point of the first booking appointment until mother and baby(s) are discharged from maternity services. This is a secondary uses data set, which re-uses clinical and operational data for purposes other than direct patient care.


Last edited: 15 December 2021 9:51 am