Not sure if this simply swaps one set of confusions/issues for another,
but a quick analysis of the Millennium Cohort Study certainly shows a
strong link between mother's age at birth and rate of Caesareans for
2001-2003-ish (the survey data seemingly at least as recent as the
admin data being referred to). Older mothers, more Caesareans. The
figures seem in line with the admin data, too.
However, first babies (primiparous or whatever the demographers say) -
more c-sections but a lower rate of planned Caesareans, much higher
rate of emergency ones. Smaller families -> higher % of births are
first births? Perhaps another factor.
[row %s]
{age at birth} {planned c.} {emergency c.} {'normal'}
14-19 2% 9% 77%
20-29 7% 11% 71%
30-39 12% 13% 64%
40+ 16% 19% 60%
All 9% 12% 68%
First birth 6% 19% 57%
Others 12% 8% 77%
(dropped categories are mostly 'assisted' births, forceps etc).
Steve
----------------------
SD McKay, PFRC
University of Bristol
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