Table 2 Incidence of interventions by Health Service Executive hospital region for singleton, live birth delivery hospitalisations, Republic of Ireland, 2005-2009

Induction of labour

Prostaglandin

5.2

4.7

8.9

5.9

Oxytocin

6.8

1.8

1.8

1.8

Artificial rupture of membrane

5.1

3.6

4.4

8.9

Other^a

12.2

13.5

12.3

15.4

Total induction

27.6

23.3

26.9

31.3

Pain relief

Epidural anaesthesia

56.3

52.5

56.6

48.4

Mode of delivery

Elective caesarean^b

8.1

12.3

13.3

13.4

Emergency caesarean

14.7

16.4

15.7

13.7

Vacuum^c

13.2

18.1

16.2

14.8

Forceps^c

5.8

4.2

4.8

2.7

Non-operative vaginal

68.3

63.9

65.0

69.8

Select procedures

Blood transfusion^b

1.2

1.4

1.0

0.6

Hysterectomy^b

0.02

0.03

0.01

0.02

Episiotomy^d

27.4

18.5

22.4

21.8