Community Health Status Report

 

Issue #8 – Perinatal Statistics 1999 – 2001

 SUMMARY

 This report uses selected indicators from the database of the Perinatal Partnership Program of Eastern and Southeastern Ontario (PPPESO). Data that is of particular relevance to public health programs is presented for mothers and their babies from the Renfrew County and District Health Unit, for the three-year period 1999 – 2001.

 The average number of births each year for the three-year period was 944, down about 18 percent from numbers reported earlier for 1991 and 1995.

 The low birth weight rate declined to 4.5 percent, from 5 and 5.2 in 1995 and 1991 respectively.

 The preterm birth rate was 6.4 percent for the three-year period.  

The average age of mothers giving birth in Renfrew County and District continued to increase in keeping with trends in the region and province as a whole.

 The proportion of births to teens has decreased from levels reported previously. During the 1999 – 2001 period, an average of 54 babies per year were born to teen mothers. This represents about 5.5 percent of all births and is down from 6.2 percent and 7.3 percent previously reported for 1991 and 1995.  

The proportion of mothers who smoked after 20 weeks of pregnancy was about 20 percent, or one in five. The proportion of young mothers who smoked after 20 weeks of pregnancy was considerably higher. Among teen mothers the rate was closer to one in two, while in mothers aged 20 – 24 years the rate was close to one in three. These smoking rates are clearly problematic and need to be addressed.

 The proportion of mothers who intended to breastfeed was close to 80 percent. The proportion of young mothers intending to breastfeed was lower - about 65 percent for teen mothers and 72 percent for mothers aged 20 – 24.