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Statistics from antenatal, birth, and child health records including smoking during pregnancy, breastfeeding and birthweights for children born in Wales in 2019.

Main points

  • There were 29,728 live births in Wales.
  • 4% of live births were to mothers aged under 20, the lowest percentage on record.
  • At least 72% of women received their initial antenatal assessment before the end of their tenth week of pregnancy.
  • 25% of women had a mental health condition reported at their initial assessment.
  • 28% of women were obese (BMI 30+) at their initial assessment.
  • 17% of women were recorded as a smoker at initial assessment; 18% of these were not recorded as smokers at birth.
  • 51% of labours started spontaneously while 33% were induced.
  • 28% of births occurred via caesarean section, just under half of which were elective and just over half were emergencies.
  • 6% of singleton births had low birthweight.
  • 62% of mothers breastfed at birth, the highest on record.

Reports

Maternity and birth statistics, 2019 (updated) , file type: PDF, file size: 3 MB

PDF
3 MB
If you need a more accessible version of this document please email digital@gov.wales. Please tell us the format you need. If you use assistive technology please tell us what this is.

Data

Datasets and interactive tools

Maternity and birth statistics, 2019 (updated) , file type: ODS, file size: 323 KB

ODS
323 KB
If you need a more accessible version of this document please email digital@gov.wales. Please tell us the format you need. If you use assistive technology please tell us what this is.

Contact

Craig Thomas

Telephone: 0300 025 1646

Rydym yn croesawu galwadau a gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg / We welcome calls and correspondence in Welsh.

Media

Telephone: 0300 025 8099

Rydym yn croesawu galwadau yn Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh.