Digital
This bulletin summarises information from the Hospital Episodes Statistics system relating to NHS maternities in the year 2004-05 and includes some comparisons with similar data from earlier years.
A review of the NHS Maternity Statistics publication was carried out; you can read the outcome of the consultation and view plans for future work on the NHS Maternity Statistics Review page.
• The caesarean rate remained at just under 23 per cent in 2004-05
• 20 per cent of deliveries were induced
• 11 per cent were instrumental deliveries
• An estimated 48 per cent of deliveries were normal deliveries defined as those without surgical intervention, use of instruments, induction, epidural or general anaesthetic
• Women with spontaneous deliveries spent on average one day in hospital after delivery, women with instrumental deliveries one or two days and women with caesarean deliveries between two and four days
• During delivery about a third of women had an epidural, general or spinal anaesthetic
• 13 per cent of women had an episiotomy