Private health care coverage and increased risk of obstetric intervention

Table 1 Distribution of maternal and obstetric characteristics for public and private deliveries, Ireland, 2005-2010

	Private deliveries	Public deliveries
	(N = 122,072)	(N = 281,570)
Maternal characteristics
Age (years)
<20	0.2 (286)	4.8 (13,585)
20 – 29	13.9 (17,006)	46.3 (130,292)
30 – 39	78.9 (96,298)	45.8 (128,831)
≥40	7.0 (8,482)	3.2 (8,862)
Morbidity
Heart disease^a	5.5 (6,732)	5.4 (15,251)
Diabetes mellitus^b	1.4 (1,761)	2.3 (6,446)
Placental disorders^c	1.2 (1,476)	1.1 (3,110)
Mode of delivery
Caesarean, elective	17.8 (21,667)	9.4 (26,547)
Caesarean, emergency	14.3 (17,428)	13.3 (37,403)
Vaginal, operative, total^d	18.1 (22,069)	14.9 (41,995)
Vacuum	13.2 (16,076)	11.5 (32,302)
Forceps	4.7 (5,734)	3.3 (9,256)
Combined	0.2 (259)	0.2 (437)
Vaginal, non-operative	49.9 (60,908)	62.4 (175,625)
Induction of labour ^e
Prostaglandin	7.0 (6,986)	6.0 (15,273)
Oxytocin	3.7 (3,723)	3.5 (8,901)
Artificial rupture of membrane	6.1 (6,091)	4.7 (12,054)
Other^f	16.4 (16,457)	12.1 (30,747)
Total induction	32.5 (32,622)	26.0 (66,320)
Select procedures
Episiotomy^g	29.5 (24,500)	20.9 (45,575)
Epidural usage^e	64.1 (64,386)	50.4 (128,516)
Other obstetric conditions
Previous caesarean delivery	15.1 (18,487)	8.7 (24,454)
Multiple birth	2.2 (2,693)	1.4 (4,039)

Note: Rates are % (N). Rates are based on all deliveries (n = 403,642) unless otherwise stated.
^aIncludes chronic rheumatic heart disease, ischemic heart disease and pre-existing/gestational-induced hypertensive diseases.
^bIncludes pre-existing and gestational-induced diabetes.
^cIncludes placental malformations, placenta praevia and placental abruption.
^dCategories are not mutually exclusive.
^eRates are based on emergency caesarean and vaginal (operative and non-operative) deliveries only (n = 355,428).
^fIncludes medical and surgical methods (i.e. Bougie, cervical dilation and Foley’s catheter) not elsewhere specified.
^gRates are based on vaginal deliveries only (n = 300,597).

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