All % data provided here is for 2014 and has been calculated by 'bump2babe: The Consumer Guide to Maternity Services in Ireland'. Maternity units provided bump2babe with numbers of mothers or babies for the various categories and we calculated the percentage rates. In some instances, numbers of mothers were provided when we needed numbers of babies or vice versa and this could lead to discrepancies of maximum 2%. Blank spaces indicate no data was provided by the maternity unit.
We are not responsible for any inaccuracies in the figures given to bump2babe. The guide has highlighted and raised concerns about differences in data recording and reporting abilities in the 19 maternity units and 2 midwifery-led units in Ireland. The roll-out of the new Maternal & Newborn Clinical Management System will standardise data recording in future years.
Coombe Women Infants University Hospital Print Version Detailed data - all hospitals
| General Information | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of mothers | 8,632 | 3,372 | 5,260 |
| No. of babies born | 8,819 | 3,453 | 5,366 |
| Onset of labour (%) | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spontaneous onset of labour | 50.5% | 49.3% | 51.3% |
| Labour induced | 30.9% | 39.3% | 25.5% |
| Elective caesarean birth | 14.8% | 8.3% | 19.1% |
| Pre-labour emergency caesarean birth | 3.6% | 3.1% | 3.9% |
| Mode of birth (%) | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spontaneous vaginal birth | 55.8% | 40.2% | 65.8% |
| Ventouse/vacuum birth | 9.1% | 17.8% | 3.5% |
| Forceps birth | 5.0% | 10.9% | 1.3% |
| Total Instrumental birth | 14.1% | 28.7% | 4.8% |
| Unplanned/emergency caesarean birth in labour | 9.7% | 17.7% | 4.6% |
| All unplanned/emergency caesarean births | 13.3% | 20.8% | 8.4% |
| Total caesarean birth | 28.1% | 29.0% | 27.5% |
| Induction of labour (methods) (% of women whose labours were induced) | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| By prostaglandin (PG) only | 14.0% | 16.2% | 11.9% |
| By artificial rupture of membranes (ARM) only | 4.1% | 2.0% | 6.1% |
| By syntocinon only (if previous SROM) | 14.3% | 17.5% | 11.0% |
| By combination: PG + ARM | 4.1% | 4.0% | 4.2% |
| By combination: PG + ARM + syntocinon | 19.8% | 24.7% | 14.9% |
| By combination: ARM + syntocinon | 33.3% | 20.5% | 46.0% |
| Other: | 10.4% | 15.0% | 5.9% |
| Modes of birth following induction of labour (% of women whose labours were induced) | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spontaneous vaginal birth | 61.6% | 35.7% | 87.2% |
| Ventouse/vacuum birth | 12.8% | 20.7% | 5.1% |
| Forceps birth | 7.4% | 13.0% | 1.9% |
| Total instrumental birth | 20.2% | 33.7% | 6.9% |
| Caesarean birth | 18.4% | 30.9% | 6.0% |
| In spontaneous labour (% of women whose labour started spontaneously) | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial rupture of membranes (ARM) | 30.2% | 31.8% | 29.2% |
| Syntocinon | 20.1% | 42.5% | 6.3% |
| Modes of birth following spontaneous labour (% of women whose labour started spontaneously) | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spontaneous vaginal birth | 75.3% | 55.0% | 87.8% |
| Ventouse/vacuum birth | 10.5% | 20.4% | 4.4% |
| Forceps birth | 5.7% | 12.3% | 1.6% |
| Total instrumental birth | 16.2% | 32.8% | 6.0% |
| Caesarean birth | 8.6% | 12.3% | 6.3% |
| "Normal Birth" % (Spontaneous onset of labour, no artificial rupture of membranes, no augmentation, no epidural, no episiotomy, spontaneous vaginal birth.) | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal Birth overall | 19.1% | 10.5% | 24.7% |
| Normal birth in spontaneous labour | 37.9% | 21.4% | 48.1% |
| Breech babies | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| % of babies in the breech position at birth | 4.5% | 5.6% | 3.8% |
| % of breech babies born vaginally | 7.8% | 3.7% | 11.2% |
| % of breech babies born vaginally - singletons | 2.1% | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| % of breech babies born vaginally - twins | 5.7% | 2.8% | 8.1% |
| % of breech babies born by caesarean birth | 92.2% | 96.3% | 88.8% |
| Twin births | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twins - % vaginal birth | 32.1% | 23.2% | 39.5% |
| Twins - % caesarean birth | 67.9% | 76.8% | 60.5% |
| Vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit VBAC % | 4.0% | ||
| % of mothers with one prior caesarean who laboured (trial of labour after caesarean) | 40.5% | ||
| % of mothers with one prior caesarean who laboured - spontaneous labour | 31.5% | ||
| % of mothers with one prior caesarean who laboured - induced labour | 9.1% | ||
| % of mothers with one prior caesarean who gave birth vaginally | 29.7% | ||
| VBAC success rate (% of women with one prior caesarean who laboured who gave birth vaginally) | 73.4% |
| Fetal monitoring in labour | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admission trace (approx. 20 min) | |||
| Intermittent auscultation during labour | 1.2% | 0.6% | 1.6% |
| Continuous electronic fetal monitoring – external | 73.9% | 83.5% | 67.7% |
| Continuous electronic fetal monitoring – internal (fetal scalp electrode) | 1.0% | 1.7% | 0.6% |
| Fetal blood sampling | 91.6% | 83.0% | 97.1% |
| Pharmacological pain relief in labour - % usage | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entonox (Gas & Air) | 62.3% | 73.0% | 55.5% |
| Epidural / spinal | 43.3% | 61.7% | 31.5% |
| Pethidine / diamorphine | 2.8% | 4.4% | 1.9% |
| Tears / episiotomies % | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intact perineum | 47.2% | 36.4% | 54.1% |
| Grazes/tears not requiring sutures | 11.2% | 14.5% | 9.1% |
| 1st degree tears | 11.4% | 6.9% | 14.3% |
| 2nd degree tears | 25.1% | 26.6% | 24.1% |
| 3rd degree tears | 1.85% | 3.05% | 1.08% |
| 4th degree tears | 0.09% | 0.15% | 0.06% |
| Total 3rd & 4th degree tears | 1.95% | 3.20% | 1.14% |
| Episiotomy – spontaneous vaginal birth | 3.1% | 5.2% | 1.7% |
| Episiotomy - instrumental birth | 10.1% | 22.6% | 2.2% |
| Total episiotomy | 13.2% | 27.8% | 3.9% |
| Timing of umbilical cord clamping - % of babies | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delayed until cord has stopped pulsating | |||
| Clamping at approx. 1 min | |||
| Immediate cord clamping |
| 3rd stage of labour | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| % physiological 3rd stage of labour | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| % actively managed 3rd stage of labour | 99.1% | 99.3% | 99.0% |
| Antibiotics administered to mother in the peripartum period | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antibiotics administered - % mothers | 13.1% | 20.1% | 8.7% |
| Health professionals in attendance | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| % mothers attended by midwife(s) only in labour | |||
| % mothers attended by doctor(s) & midwife(s) in labour |
| Breastfeeding - % of babies | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initiated breastfeeding within 1 hr of birth | 61.1% | 67.6% | 57.0% |
| Exclusively breastfeeding on discharge | 34.6% | 35.4% | 34.1% |
| Any breastfeeding on discharge | 54.8% | 59.3% | 51.90% |
| Babies born outside of the unit - % of babies | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Born before arrival (booked for hospital birth but born before reaching hospital) | 0.42% | 0.12% | 0.61% |
| Planned births at home with hospital community midwives |
| Mothers with additional risk factors | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mothers over 35 years old | 32.6% | 21.4% | 39.8% |
| Mothers over 40 years old | 6.3% | 4.4% | 7.6% |
| Obese mothers (BMI ≥ 30 k/m2) | 16.1% | 13.7% | 17.7% |
| Mothers with diabetes or gestational diabetes | 8.3% |
| Anaesthesia used for caesarean births | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total caesarean births - % epidural usage | 19.6% | ||
| Total caesarean births - % spinal usage | 77.6% | ||
| Total caesarean births - % general anaesthetic (GA) usage | 2.8% | ||
| Elective caesarean births - % epidural usage | |||
| Elective caesarean births - % spinal usage | 98.5% | ||
| Elective caesarean births - % general anaesthetic (GA) usage | 1.5% | ||
| Unplanned / emergency caesarean births - % epidural usage | 56.7% | ||
| Unplanned / emergency caesarean births - % spinal usage | 74.2% | ||
| Unplanned / emergency caesarean births - % general anaesthetic (GA) usage | 6.0% |
| % contribution each Robson category makes to the overall caesarean birth rate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1: unplanned caesarean in first-time mothers with one head-down baby @ 37+ weeks in spontaneous labour | 6.5% | ||
| Group 2: caesarean in first-time mothers with one head-down baby @ 37+ weeks in either induced labour or before labour | 22.8% | ||
| Group 2a: unplanned caesarean in first-time mothers with one head-down baby @ 37+ weeks in induced labour | 15.7% | ||
| Group 2b: planned caesarean in first-time mothers with one head-down baby @ 37+ weeks before labour | 7.1% | ||
| Group 3: unplanned caesarean in 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers who have never had a prior caesarean birth, with one head-down baby @ 37+ weeks in spontaneous labour | 1.3% | ||
| Group 4: caesarean in 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers who have never had a prior caesarean birth, with one head-down baby @ 37+ weeks in either induced labour or before labour | 6.5% | ||
| Group 4a: unplanned caesarean in 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers who have never had a prior caesarean birth, with one head-down baby @ 37+ weeks in induced labour | 1.8% | ||
| Group 4b: planned caesarean in 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers who have never had a prior caesarean birth, with one head-down baby @ 37+ weeks before labour | 4.6% | ||
| Group 5: repeat caesarean in mothers with one head-down baby @ 37+ weeks | 38.3% | ||
| Group 6: caesarean in first-time mothers with one breech baby | 6.0% | ||
| Group 7: caesarean in 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers with one breech baby (including mothers with prior caesareans) | 6.4% | ||
| Group 8: caesarean in all mothers with multiple pregnancy (including mothers with prior caesareans) | 4.9% | ||
| Group 9: caesarean in all mothers with one baby in transverse or oblique position (including mothers with prior caesareans) | 0.9% | ||
| Group 10: caesareans in all mothers with one head-down baby less than 37 weeks (including mothers with prior caesareans) | 6.6% |
| Gestatation | All mothers | First-time mothers | 2nd- & subsequent-time mothers |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 27+6 weeks | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 28+0 – 31+6 weeks | 0.9% | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| 32+0 – 34+6 weeks | 1.7% | 1.9% | 1.5% |
| 35+0 – 36+6 weeks | 3.6% | 4.0% | 3.4% |
| 37+0 – 37+6 weeks | 7.0% | 6.7% | 7.2% |
| 38+0 – 38+6 weeks | 15.6% | 12.9% | 17.3% |
| 39+0 – 39+6 weeks | 26.6% | 21.6% | 29.8% |
| 40+0 – 40+6 weeks | 26.3% | 27.2% | 25.6% |
| 41+0 – 41+6 weeks | 17.2% | 23.0% | 13.6% |
| 42+0 – 42+6 weeks | 0.50% | 0.89% | 0.25% |
| 43+0 – 43+6 weeks | 0.05% | 0.06% | 0.04% |
| ≥ 44+0 weeks | 0.09% | 0.09% | 0.10% |
| Gestation Not Answered | 0.05% | 0.06% | 0.04% |