§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, for each of the last 10 years, the percentage of live births delivered by caesarean section within each health authority in Wales. [67672]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones[holding answer 28 January 1999]: The following table shows, for each Health Authority and for Wales as a whole, the percentages of caesarean sections performed for those hospitals within the Health Authority which perform caesareans. Home births, births to Welsh residents outside Wales and births at other hospitals where caesareans are not undertaken are not included in the denominator. An additional Welsh total is given which shows caesarean sections performed in hospitals in Wales as a percentage of all live births to residents of Wales. Reliable data are not available for years prior to 1993.
Per cent. of births delivered by caesarean section Health authority 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Gwent1 14.9 16.8 17.7 18.2 20.5 Bro Taf1 17.5 16.4 17.6 19.1 20.0 Dyfed Powys1 14.9 15.1 15.1 16.2 17.1 North Wales1 17.9 19.7 18.5 18.7 17.7 Morgannwg1 13.6 14.3 15.5 17.3 18.1 Wales1 16.0 16.6 17.1 18.1 18.9 Wales2 15.1 15.8 16.2 17.4 18.1 1Caesarean sections performed in hospitals which perform caesarean sections as a percentage of births that took place within those hospitals 2Caesarean sections performed in hospitals in Wales as a percentage of live births to residents of Wales Sources:
All Wales Perinatal Survey and Confidential Enquiry into Stillbirths and Deaths in Infancy
Office for National Statistics (live births to residents of Wales)
Following the transfer of powers, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.