Method of birth Scotland 2023

In 2022/23, four in ten women gave birth by c-section whether elective or due to emergency. Over the years the distribution of childbirth delivery method has changed in Scotland. In 2003/04, 64 percent of all live, singleton births were spontaneous. By 2022/23, this was down to just 49 percent.

Percentage of childbirths in NHS hospitals in Scotland from 2003/04 to 2022/23, by method of delivery

Characteristic	Spontaneous	Caesarean elective	Caesarean emergency	Instrumental*
2003/04	64.2%	8.6%	14.7%	12.5%
2004/05	64%	8.8%	15%	12.2%
2005/06	63.4%	9.1%	15.3%	12.2%
2006/07	63%	9.7%	14.9%	12.4%
2007/08	62.2%	10%	14.6%	13.2%
2008/09	61.9%	10%	14.8%	13.3%
2009/10	61.8%	10.5%	14.8%	12.9%
2010/11	60.4%	11.2%	15.3%	13.1%
2011/12	59.1%	11.9%	15.8%	13.1%
2012/13	59.8%	12%	15.3%	12.9%
2013/14	58.1%	12.9%	16.4%	12.6%
2014/15	57%	13.5%	16.7%	12.8%
2015/16	56.5%	14.3%	16.9%	12.4%
2016/17	56.2%	15%	16.7%	12%
2017/18	55.2%	15.7%	16.9%	12.3%
2018/19	54.1%	16.1%	17.4%	12.5%
2019/20	53.3%	16.6%	17.8%	12.3%
2020/21	51.8%	17.3%	18.6%	12.2%
2021/22	50.4%	18.2%	19.3%	12.2%
2022/23	48.9%	19.2%	20%	11.9%

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Release date

November 2023

More information

Region

United Kingdom (Scotland)

Survey time period

Financial years 2003/04 to 2022/23

Supplementary notes

2022/23 data are provisional.
Percentage of live singleton births with a known method of birth.
*Instrumental includes births by forceps, vacuum and breech.

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