Type of birth

​​​​​​​​​​​ On this page

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

Overview

In 2022, 50.2% of mothers in NSW gave birth through a vaginal delivery without intervention, 11.0% were instrumental births and 38.4% were through caesarean section. In 2022, among mothers who gave birth in NSW, the highest rate of vaginal birth without intervention (63.7%) was among residents of Far West Local Health District, while the highest rate of instrumental birth (15.4%) was among residents of South Eastern Sydney Local Health District. The caesarean section rate varied from 29.0% among residents of Northern NSW Local Health District to 44.9% in Sydney Local Health District.​

Type of birth by local health district of residence, NSW 2022

By number of births

Local Health District Vaginal without interventionForcepsVacuum extractionVaginal breechElective caesarean sectionEmergency caesarean section1Not statedTotal
Sydney278431963222206898906814
So​uth Western Sydney76344767934029931624013560
South Eastern Sydney4154657828302639132509633
Illawarra Shoalhaven222913331314106771404470
Western Sydney74194998386337101802014331
Nepean Blue Mountains246612627514117673014788
Northern Sydney3607388716182567106708363
Central Coast19942251921187347503770
Hunter New England55945116493326471544010978
Northern NSW1584n.p.183n.p.42034702641
Mid North Coast1221104117​644428802180
Southern NSW849n.p.104n.p.28922601516
Murrumbidgee118234183965136902428
Western NSW20351172111484343003650
Far West130n.p.9n.p.38220204
Other–not stated539601031019718201091
Total45421380361462902262212134190417

By percentage of births

Local Health Dist​rict
Vaginal without interventionForcepsVacuum extractionVaginal breechElective caesarean sectionEmergency caesarean section1Not statedTotal
Sydney40.94.79.30.330.314.50.0100.0
South Western Sydney56.33.55.80.322.112.00.0100.0
South Eastern Sydney43.16.88.60.327.413.80.0100.0
Illawarra Shoalhaven49.93.07.00.323.916.00.0100.0
Western Sydney51.83.55.80.425.912.60.0100.0
Nepean Blue Mountains51.52.65.70.324.615.20.0100.0
Northern Sydney43.14.68.60.230.712.80.0100.0
Central Coast52.96.05.10.323.212.60.0100.0
Hunter New England51.04.75.90.324.114.10.0100.0
Northern NSW60.0n.p.6.9n.p.15.913.10.0100.0
Mid North Coast56.04.85.40.320.413.20.0100.0
Southern NSW56.0n.p.6.9n.p.19.114.90.0100.0
Murrumbidgee48.71.47.50.426.815.20.0100.0
Western NSW55.83.25.80.423.111.80.0100.0
Far West63.7n.p.4.4n.p.18.610.80.0100.0
Other–not stated49.​​45.59.40.918.116.70.0100.0
Total50.24.26.80.325.013.40.0100.0

Downloads

Notes

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

  1. Emergency caesarean section includes caesarean sections where the onset of labour was not stated.
  2. 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.

Current as at: Wednesday 31 July 2024
Contact page owner: Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence