Births and Maternity
Live Births
In 2013, there were approximately 1,620 live births to mothers whose usual residence is within NHS Crawley CCG.
Mothers Under the Age of 20
Young mothers (first time mothers under the age of 20) are a target group for the work of the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP). Not all hospital maternity records used a “flag” for first time mothers, therefore the information provided relates to all mothers under the age of 20. The majority of these women will be first time mothers. Of the total number of live births in Crawley CCG, 3.9% were to women under the age of 20 years.
Table 1: Number of Live Births to Mothers in NHS Crawley CCG (2011-13)
| Localities | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | Total 2011-13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All births | 1,685 | 1,615 | 1,620 | 4,925 |
| Births to mothers < 20 yrs | 80 | 65 | 65 | 210 |
Low Birth Weight
In 2013, approximately 7.9% of live births in Crawley were of low birthweight (less than 2.5kg). This equates to around 120-130 live births in Crawley in 2013.
Fertility
The total fertility rate (TFR) is the average number of children that a group of women would each bear if they experience the age-specific fertility rates of the calendar year in question throughout their childbearing lifespan. It provides a snapshot of the level of fertility in a particular year and does not necessarily represent the average number of children that a group of women will have over their lifetime.
Birth statistics for England and Wales are based on the details collected when births are registered. By law, births should be registered within 42 days.
The TFR for Crawley, West Sussex and England have followed a similar pattern over the past 5 years.
Under-18 Conceptions
Conception data combine information from registrations of births and notifications of legal abortions occurring in England and Wales for women who are usually resident there. Conception statistics include pregnancies that result in:
- One or more live, or stillbirths (a maternity)
- A legal abortion under the Abortion Act 1967
They do not include miscarriages or illegal abortions.
The date of conception is estimated using recorded gestation for abortions and stillbirths, and assuming 38 weeks gestation for live births. A woman’s age at conception is calculated as the number of complete years between her date of birth and the date she conceived.
In Crawley, the rate of under-18 conceptions has been steadily decreasing. In 2014, the under-18 conception rate in Crawley was 24.9 per 1,000 women aged 15-17 years (95% CI: 18.1 – 33.4), significantly lower than in 2009 (42.1 per 1,000 women aged 15-17; 95% CI: 33.6 – 52.2). This is comparable to the national rate at 22.8 per 1,000 women aged 15-17 years (95% CI: 22.5 – 23.1).
