§ Mrs. WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he collects figures relating to the percentage of births(a) artificially induced, (b) accelerated and (c) delivered by caesarean section, by regions and districts.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe method of maternity data collection was changed in April 1987 with the introduction of the hospital episodes statistics system (HES). Data are now collected under the following categories:
Method of delivery
- Normal Spontaneous
- Normal Spontaneous-Vertex
- Spontaneous-other cephalic
- Low Forceps
- Other Forceps
- Ventouse vacuum extraction
556 - Breech
- Breech Extraction
- Elective Caesarian Section
- Other Unspecified (emergency) caesarian section
- Other Unspecified including unknown
Method of onset of labour
- Spontaneous
- Elective caesarian
- Surgical inductions
- Oxytocic drugs
- Combinations of surgical induction/oxytocic drugs
- Not known
The most recent information available is for 1988–89, the first year for which additional delivery details were collected, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) on 8 March at columns 322–23. Approximate national estimates of these percentages can be made for that year, but it has not been possible to make reliable regional and district estimates. Steps have been taken to improve quality and completeness of data which should reduce the level of approximation in later years and enable more detailed breakdowns to be made.