Births by mode of onset of labour and epidural status by local health board

Variable filters

You will be able to change the filter selections once you've chosen how to view the data.
Year
10 of 10 selected
No values match your search
Area
10 of 10 selected
No values match your search
Mode of onset of labour
7 of 7 selected
No values match your search
Epidurals
6 of 6 selected
No values match your search
Data description

This indicates what a data value represents

2 of 2 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

4th August 2026

This update includes the latest annual data and revisions to the previous annual data. All revisions are marked with the [r] note code. This update includes a change to the title of the dataset.

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 2025
Dataset ID
5eb9315c-d8fa-44c8-9479-b6f9bd184cc9

Overview

Summary of dataset and variables

Number and percentage of baby deliveries by mode of onset and epidural status, 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.

Mode of onset of delivery is defined as follows:

  • Spontaneous: where labour began spontaneously;
  • Induction: Includes medical induction, surgical induction and cases where a combination of both was used;
  • Caesarean: Any caesarean section carried out before the onset of labour; or a planned elective caesarean section carried out immediately following the onset of labour, when the decision was made before labour.
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.

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. Initial assessments may have taken place in the previous year but would be counted in the year in which the birth occurred.

Statistical quality

Mode of onset of labour: Between 2016 and 2024 Aneurin Bevan did not provide correctly recorded data for this data item so have been excluded from the analysis. Hywel Dda did not provide correctly recorded data for this data item between 2016 and 2021 so have also been excluded from the analysis for these years. Data for Wales represents the remaining 5 health boards in 2016 to 2021, and the remaining 6 health boards between 2022 and 2024, see quality report for more information.

Epidurals: 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.

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