Monthly maternity figures
Each month we publish our full maternity statistics.
Last month, our maternity service supported the birth of 504 babies.
Here's a breakdown of the key statistics:
Trust-wide birth overview
Total babies born: 504
Girls born: 259
Boys born: 245
Multiple pregnancies: 4
Busiest day: 18 August, with 27 births
Average birth weight: 7lb 5oz (3.30kg)
Golden hour: 80% of babies spent time with their mother during the first two hours after birth
Place of birth
87% of babies were born at the location chosen by the birthing person
William Harvey Hospital (WHH):
Labour ward: 270 births
Midwifery-led unit (MLU): 21 births
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital (QEQM):
Labour ward: 197 births
MLU: 6 births
Other locations:
3 births
Transfers during labour:
37% transferred from MLU to labour ward
33% planned home births transferred to hospital
VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean): 37% were successful planned VBACs
Neonatal care
Neonatal admissions: 79 babies
Preterm births (under 37 weeks): 9%
Baby loss
In memory of: 0 babies
Loss before 24 weeks gestation: 1 baby
Loss after 24 weeks gestation: 0 babies
Feeding
First feed breast milk: 66%
Breastfed during care: 77%
Exclusively breastfed during care: 65%
Type of birth
Vaginal births: 49% (244 people)
Caesarean births: 43% (215 people)
Planned: 49%
Unplanned: 51%
Assisted births:
Forceps: 5% (27 people)
Ventouse: 3%
Induction
Induced births: 158
Most common reason: Pre-labour rupture of membranes at term
Outcomes of induced births:
Vaginal births: 58% (91 people)
Caesarean births: 31% (49 people)
Forceps-assisted births: 8% (12 people)
Pain relief
Entonox and pethidine: 7%
Epidural: 10%
Entonox only: 40%
Other methods: 14%
No pain relief: 14%
Entonox and epidural: 15%
Postpartum Blood Loss (PPH)
Total affected: 186 births
Minor PPH (500–999ml): 128
Moderate PPH (1000–2000ml): 52
Severe PPH (over 2000ml): 6