Live and still births by ethnic group
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 ethnic group and 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
The data dictionary also defines how ethnic groups are classified, namely:
- White (any white background);
- Asian (Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Indian, any other Asian background);
- Mixed/multiple (white and Asian, white and black African, white and black Caribbean, any other mixed background);
- Other (any other ethnic group);
- Black (African, Caribbean, any other black background).
- 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
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.
More detailed information on the sources of data and analyses in this statistical release are provided in the quality report.
Published by
- Organisation
- Welsh Government
- Contact email
- stats.healthinfo@gov.wales