Place of birth

On this page

  1. Overview
  2. Planned and actual place of birth by local health district of residence, NSW 2022
  3. Downloads
  4. Notes
  5. Related links

Overview

In 2022, 94.4% of women who gave birth in NSW planned and actually gave birth in a hospital, compared to 4.1% who planned a birth centre birth and 0.8% who planned a homebirth. In 2022, among women who gave birth in NSW, the greatest number of planned birth centre births was to women living in Hunter New England Local Health District (n=1,002), followed by Western Sydney Local Health District (n=718).

Planned and actual place of birth by local health district of residence, NSW 2022

By number of births

Local Health DistrictPlanned hospital birth, and actual hospital birth
Planned hospital birth, but actual born before arrivalPlanned birth centre birth, and actual birth centre birthPlanned birth centre birth, but actual hospital birthPlanned homebirth, and actual homebirthPlanned homebirth, but actual hospital birthTotal
Sydney65972614528n.p.n.p.6814
South Western Sydney1332579414267613560
South Eastern Sydney90354827717779169633
Illawarra Shoalhaven420141n.p.12566n.p.4470
Western Sydney1344312030341542814331
Nepean Blue Mountains4411n.p.13316344n.p.4788
Northern Sydney8256297n.p.62n.p.8363
Central Coast360436n.p.8443n.p.3770
Hunter New England97161005774251213910978
Northern NSW235046137594362641
Mid North Coast2017206178n.p.n.p.2180
Southern NSW138382693n.p.n.p.1516
Murrumbidgee22002268134n.p.n.p.2428
Western NSW357444n.p.226n.p.3650
Far West192n.p.8n.p.0n.p.204
Other–not stated10469n.p.199n.p.1091
Total 85350665182918696089090417

By percentage of births

Local Health DistrictPlanned hospital birth, and actual hospital birth
Planned hospital birth, but actual born before arrivalPlanned birth centre birth, and actual birth centre birthPlanned birth centre birth, but actual hospital birthPlanned homebirth, and actual homebirthPlanned homebirth, but actual hospital birthTotal
Sydney96.80.42.10.4n.p.n.p.100.0
South Western Sydney98.30.60.30.30.50.0100.0
South Eastern Sydney93.80.52.91.80.80.2100.0
Illawarra Shoalhaven94.00.9n.p.2.81.5n.p.100.0
Western Sydney93.80.82.12.90.30.1100.0
Nepean Blue Mountains92.1n.p.2.83.40.9n.p.100.0
Northern Sydney98.70.30.1n.p.0.7n.p.100.0
Central Coast95.61.0n.p.2.21.1n.p.100.0
Hunter New England88.50.95.33.91.10.4100.0
Northern NSW89.01.75.22.21.60.2100.0
Mid North Coast92.50.92.83.6n.p.n.p.100.0
Southern NSW91.20.51.76.1n.p.n.p.100.0
Murrumbidgee90.60.92.85.5n.p.n.p.100.0
Western NSW97.91.2n.p.0.60.2n.p.100.0
Far West94.1n.p.3.9n.p.0.0n.p.100.0
Other–not stated95.90.8n.p.1.70.8n.p.100.0
Total 94.40.72.02.10.70.1100.0

Downloads

Notes

Source: NSW Perinatal Data Collection (SAPHaRI). Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health.

  1. Planned refers to the mother's intention at the onset or induction of labour, or at the time of elective caesarean section.
  2. Hospital includes a hospital theatre or delivery suite.
  3. Birth centre is a facility where women are able to birth in an environment that is physically separate from a labour ward but has access to emergency medical facilities for both mother and child if required. The facility has a home-like atmosphere and focuses on a model of care that ensures continuity of care, a family-centred approach and informed patient participation in choices related to the birth process.
  4. Planned homebirth is a birth that is planned to occur and occurs at a place outside a hospital delivery suite or birth centre (normally a home).​
  5. Cells with counts less than 5 are suppressed, and other cells may also be hidden to prevent back-calculation. These cells are marked with n.p.
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Current as at: Wednesday 31 July 2024
Contact page owner: Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence