Live and still births by mode of birth and local health board

Variable filters

You will be able to change the filter selections once you've chosen how to view the data.
Data description

This indicates what a data value represents

2 of 2 selected
No values match your search
Year
9 of 9 selected
No values match your search
Area
10 of 10 selected
No values match your search
Mode of birth
9 of 9 selected
No values match your search

Choose how to view the data

You'll be asked to choose 2 variables to show on a table
The data will be shown with columns for each of the variables in the dataset, with a data value for all combinations of variables

Next update expected:August 2026

Updates

19th December 2025
Dataset first published.

Main information

Designation
Accredited official statistics
Data provider
Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW)
Data source
Maternity Indicators Dataset (MIDS)
Time period covered
January 2016 to December 2024

Overview

Summary of dataset and variables

Number of live and still births broken down by local health board

This data is derived from the Maternity Indicators dataset, provided to the Welsh Government by Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW).

The Maternity Indicators dataset combines records from a mother’s initial assessment with a child’s birth record.

Full details of every data item available in the Maternity Indicators dataset are available through the NHS Wales Data Dictionary.

The mode of birth relates to how the baby was delivered and is often different to the mode of onset of labour.

There are three modes of birth recorded in the MI ds and they are defined as:

  • caesarean section: elective and emergency caesarean section deliveries
  • instrumental: forceps cephalic deliveries and ventouse (vacuum) deliveries
  • spontaneous vaginal: baby born by maternal effort
Data collection or calculation

Data from the Maternity Indicators dataset only includes initial assessment data where the initial assessment and birth both occurred in the same health board, in Wales only.

Data should include all hospital births and some home births; however, due to the way data is recorded, we are unable to distinguish between home and hospital births in some health boards. Births to Welsh resident mothers who gave birth in England or in any other country outside of Wales are not included in the data.

Data for each calendar year refers to when the baby was born for both birth and initial assessment statistics. Initial assessments may have taken place in the previous year but would be counted in the year in which the birth occurred. This ensures data throughout a single pregnancy is recorded in the same year.

Statistical quality

In 2024, Aneurin Bevan did not provide correctly recorded data for this data item so have been excluded from the analysis. Data for Wales represents the remaining 6 health boards.

The percentages are based on records with valid data for mode of birth reported by the 6 health boards that are included in the Wales total. For more information see the quality report.

From 1st April 2019 health service provision for residents of Bridgend local authority moved from Abertawe Bro Morgannwg to Cwm Taf. The health board names changed to Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and Swansea Bay University Health Board. Data for Abertawe Bro Morgannwg and Cwm Taf are available for previous years in this table. More detailed information on the sources of data and analyses in this statistical release are provided in the quality report.

Related reports

Published by

Organisation
Welsh Government
Contact email
stats.healthinfo@gov.wales