Complete Health Indicator Report of Cesarean Deliveries
Definition
The method by which an infant is extracted from its motherNumerator
Number of method-specific birthsDenominator
Total number of live birthsWhy Is This Important?
Compared to vaginal deliveries, cesareans carry an increased risk of infection, blood clots, longer recovery, and difficulty with future pregnancies. Reducing cesarean births among low-risk (full-term, singleton, and vertex presentation) women is a goal of the Healthy People 2030 initiative.How Are We Doing?
The cesarean delivery rate among New Jersey mothers declined in 2010 for the first time since the mid-1990s and in 2021 stood at 32.4% of births. The cesarean delivery rate among White mothers is significantly lower than among mothers of other racial/ethnic groups. The cesarean rate among Ocean County residents (the lowest in the state) is half the rate among Passaic County residents (the highest). The cesarean rate among [https://www-doh.state.nj.us/doh-shad/indicator/view/MODLowRisk.Year.html low risk] (full term, singleton, vertex presentation) deliveries is a few percentage points lower than for all deliveries but demographic and trend patterns remain the same.How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
In the early 1990s, the cesarean rate in New Jersey began to exceed that of the nation as a whole and continued to rise more quickly than the national rate. The rate has slowly decreased in recent years and the New Jersey rate is once again about the same as the national rate.What Is Being Done?
In 2017, a team composed of DOH staff and external partners collaborated to develop a plan to reduce low risk c-sections in New Jersey hospitals. In 2018, DOH awarded [https://nj.gov/health/news/2018/approved/20180711a.shtml $4.7 million] to eight agencies to improve health outcomes among infants and mothers in New Jersey, including implementation of a doula pilot program to reduce the likelihood of certain birth and delivery/labor outcomes such as cesarean births. In 2021, the state [https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562021/approved/20210202b.shtml Medicaid program began covering doula care], while also no longer paying for non-medical early elective deliveries. The same year, the [http://nurturenj.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/20210120-Nurture-NJ-Strategic-Plan.pdf Nurture NJ Strategic Plan] recommended that all NJ birthing hospitals meet or attain low-risk cesarean birth rates lower than the national target by instituting new, comprehensive informed consent processes for all maternity patients so that patients understand the short- and long-term risks of c-sections and the benefits of spontaneous labor for both parents and newborns. The Plan also recommended more aggressive action by state government agencies to ensure improvement, including limitations on participation in provider networks for hospitals who do not meet targets.[http://nurturenj.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/20210120-Nurture-NJ-Strategic-Plan.pdf#page=61 ^1^]Available Services
See Programs and Resources on [https://nj.gov/governor/admin/fl/nurturenj.shtml]Related Indicators
Related Health Care System Factors Indicators:
Data Tables
Method of Delivery: Cesarean Deliveries by Year, New Jersey and the United States, 1990-2021
US/NJ | Year | Percentage of Live Births | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | Numer- ator | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 64 | ||||||
US | 1990 | 22.7% | ||||
US | 1991 | 22.6% | ||||
US | 1992 | 22.3% | ||||
US | 1993 | 21.8% | ||||
US | 1994 | 21.2% | ||||
US | 1995 | 20.8% | ||||
US | 1996 | 20.7% | ||||
US | 1997 | 20.8% | ||||
US | 1998 | 21.2% | ||||
US | 1999 | 22.0% | ||||
US | 2000 | 22.9% | ||||
US | 2001 | 24.4% | ||||
US | 2002 | 26.1% | ||||
US | 2003 | 27.5% | ||||
US | 2004 | 29.1% | ||||
US | 2005 | 30.3% | ||||
US | 2006 | 31.1% | ||||
US | 2007 | 31.8% | ||||
US | 2008 | 32.3% | ||||
US | 2009 | 32.9% | ||||
US | 2010 | 32.8% | ||||
US | 2011 | 32.8% | ||||
US | 2012 | 32.8% | ||||
US | 2013 | 32.7% | ||||
US | 2014 | 32.2% | ||||
US | 2015 | 32.0% | ||||
US | 2016 | 31.9% | ||||
US | 2017 | 32.0% | ||||
US | 2018 | 31.9% | ||||
US | 2019 | 31.7% | ||||
US | 2020 | 31.8% | ||||
US | 2021 | 32.1% | ||||
NJ | 1990 | 23.3% | 23.1% | 23.5% | 28,679 | |
NJ | 1991 | 22.6% | 22.3% | 22.8% | 27,443 | |
NJ | 1992 | 22.8% | 22.6% | 23.0% | 27,481 | |
NJ | 1993 | 23.4% | 23.1% | 23.6% | 27,563 | |
NJ | 1994 | 22.6% | 22.3% | 22.8% | 26,605 | |
NJ | 1995 | 22.1% | 21.9% | 22.4% | 25,477 | |
NJ | 1996 | 22.9% | 22.7% | 23.2% | 26,227 | |
NJ | 1997 | 23.9% | 23.6% | 24.1% | 27,031 | |
NJ | 1998 | 24.6% | 24.4% | 24.8% | 28,011 | |
NJ | 1999 | 25.3% | 25.1% | 25.6% | 28,803 | |
NJ | 2000 | 26.5% | 26.2% | 26.7% | 30,569 | |
NJ | 2001 | 27.9% | 27.7% | 28.2% | 32,326 | |
NJ | 2002 | 30.0% | 29.7% | 30.2% | 34,364 | |
NJ | 2003 | 32.1% | 31.8% | 32.4% | 37,495 | |
NJ | 2004 | 33.9% | 33.6% | 34.2% | 38,796 | |
NJ | 2005 | 35.2% | 34.9% | 35.5% | 40,020 | |
NJ | 2006 | 36.3% | 36.0% | 36.6% | 41,597 | |
NJ | 2007 | 36.9% | 36.6% | 37.2% | 42,771 | |
NJ | 2008 | 37.3% | 37.0% | 37.6% | 41,952 | |
NJ | 2009 | 38.1% | 37.8% | 38.4% | 41,778 | |
NJ | 2010 | 37.4% | 37.2% | 37.7% | 39,903 | |
NJ | 2011 | 37.9% | 37.6% | 38.2% | 39,988 | |
NJ | 2012 | 37.6% | 37.3% | 37.8% | 38,973 | |
NJ | 2013 | 37.0% | 36.7% | 37.3% | 37,890 | |
NJ | 2014 | 36.2% | 35.9% | 36.5% | 37,209 | |
NJ | 2015 | 35.3% | 35.0% | 35.6% | 36,123 | |
NJ | 2016 | 36.2% | 35.9% | 36.5% | 37,111 | |
NJ | 2017 | 35.9% | 35.6% | 36.2% | 36,347 | |
NJ | 2018 | 34.9% | 34.6% | 35.2% | 35,318 | |
NJ | 2019 | 33.8% | 33.5% | 34.1% | 33,537 | |
NJ | 2020 | 33.2% | 32.9% | 33.5% | 32,248 | |
NJ | 2021 | 32.4% | 32.1% | 32.7% | 32,856 |
Data Notes
Confidence intervals are not available for U.S. data.[[br]] The uptick in 2016 is due to more accurate reporting of NJ resident births that occur out of state.Data Sources
- Birth Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of Health
- National Vital Statistics System, National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/index.htm]
Method of Delivery by Year, New Jersey, 1990-2021
Method of Delivery | Year | Percentage of Live Births | Numer- ator | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 64 | ||||||
Vaginal | 1990 | 68.4% | 84,160 | |||
Vaginal | 1991 | 69.6% | 84,564 | |||
Vaginal | 1992 | 69.2% | 83,452 | |||
Vaginal | 1993 | 69.3% | 81,699 | |||
Vaginal | 1994 | 70.1% | 82,549 | |||
Vaginal | 1995 | 71.3% | 82,119 | |||
Vaginal | 1996 | 72.4% | 82,753 | |||
Vaginal | 1997 | 71.6% | 81,138 | |||
Vaginal | 1998 | 71.3% | 81,152 | |||
Vaginal | 1999 | 70.3% | 79,970 | |||
Vaginal | 2000 | 68.9% | 79,602 | |||
Vaginal | 2001 | 67.5% | 78,133 | |||
Vaginal | 2002 | 65.6% | 75,183 | |||
Vaginal | 2003 | 63.3% | 73,917 | |||
Vaginal | 2004 | 62.0% | 70,985 | |||
Vaginal | 2005 | 60.2% | 68,435 | |||
Vaginal | 2006 | 59.2% | 67,849 | |||
Vaginal | 2007 | 58.2% | 67,434 | |||
Vaginal | 2008 | 57.8% | 65,022 | |||
Vaginal | 2009 | 57.3% | 62,784 | |||
Vaginal | 2010 | 57.7% | 61,532 | |||
Vaginal | 2011 | 57.4% | 60,581 | |||
Vaginal | 2012 | 57.8% | 59,995 | |||
Vaginal | 2013 | 58.3% | 59,621 | |||
Vaginal | 2014 | 59.4% | 61,057 | |||
Vaginal | 2015 | 60.4% | 61,703 | |||
Vaginal | 2016 | 63.7% | 65,306 | |||
Vaginal | 2017 | 64.0% | 64,766 | |||
Vaginal | 2018 | 65.0% | 65,810 | |||
Vaginal | 2019 | 66.1% | 65,600 | |||
Vaginal | 2020 | 66.8% | 64,851 | |||
Vaginal | 2021 | 67.5% | 68,398 | |||
Cesarean | 1990 | 23.3% | 28,679 | |||
Cesarean | 1991 | 22.6% | 27,443 | |||
Cesarean | 1992 | 22.8% | 27,481 | |||
Cesarean | 1993 | 23.4% | 27,563 | |||
Cesarean | 1994 | 22.6% | 26,605 | |||
Cesarean | 1995 | 22.1% | 25,477 | |||
Cesarean | 1996 | 22.9% | 26,227 | |||
Cesarean | 1997 | 23.9% | 27,031 | |||
Cesarean | 1998 | 24.6% | 28,011 | |||
Cesarean | 1999 | 25.3% | 28,803 | |||
Cesarean | 2000 | 26.5% | 30,569 | |||
Cesarean | 2001 | 27.9% | 32,326 | |||
Cesarean | 2002 | 30.0% | 34,364 | |||
Cesarean | 2003 | 32.1% | 37,495 | |||
Cesarean | 2004 | 33.9% | 38,796 | |||
Cesarean | 2005 | 35.2% | 40,020 | |||
Cesarean | 2006 | 36.3% | 41,597 | |||
Cesarean | 2007 | 36.9% | 42,771 | |||
Cesarean | 2008 | 37.3% | 41,952 | |||
Cesarean | 2009 | 38.1% | 41,778 | |||
Cesarean | 2010 | 37.4% | 39,903 | |||
Cesarean | 2011 | 37.9% | 39,988 | |||
Cesarean | 2012 | 37.6% | 38,973 | |||
Cesarean | 2013 | 37.2% | 37,890 | |||
Cesarean | 2014 | 36.2% | 37,210 | |||
Cesarean | 2015 | 35.3% | 36,123 | |||
Cesarean | 2016 | 36.2% | 37,111 | |||
Cesarean | 2017 | 35.9% | 36,347 | |||
Cesarean | 2018 | 34.9% | 35,318 | |||
Cesarean | 2019 | 33.8% | 33,537 | |||
Cesarean | 2020 | 33.2% | 32,248 | |||
Cesarean | 2021 | 32.4% | 32,856 |
Data Notes
The uptick in both methods of delivery in 2016 is due to more accurate reporting of NJ resident births that occur out of state, resulting is fewer births with unknown method of delivery.Data Source
Birth Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of HealthMethod of Delivery: Primary and Repeat Cesareans by Year, New Jersey, 1990-2021
Method of Delivery | Year | Rate per 100 at-risk births | Numer- ator | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 64 | ||||||
Primary cesarean | 1990 | 17.5% | 17,412 | |||
Primary cesarean | 1991 | 16.8% | 16,575 | |||
Primary cesarean | 1992 | 17.1% | 16,580 | |||
Primary cesarean | 1993 | 17.6% | 16,834 | |||
Primary cesarean | 1994 | 17.0% | 16,351 | |||
Primary cesarean | 1995 | 16.7% | 15,747 | |||
Primary cesarean | 1996 | 17.6% | 16,467 | |||
Primary cesarean | 1997 | 18.3% | 16,983 | |||
Primary cesarean | 1998 | 19.0% | 17,866 | |||
Primary cesarean | 1999 | 19.4% | 18,138 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2000 | 20.3% | 19,236 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2001 | 21.1% | 20,039 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2002 | 22.8% | 21,451 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2003 | 24.7% | 23,459 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2004 | 26.0% | 24,294 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2005 | 26.9% | 24,552 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2006 | 27.8% | 25,570 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2007 | 28.1% | 25,838 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2008 | 28.3% | 25,103 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2009 | 28.7% | 24,744 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2010 | 27.9% | 23,265 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2011 | 28.2% | 23,146 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2012 | 27.8% | 22,438 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2013 | 26.8% | 21,184 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2014 | 25.7% | 20,475 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2015 | 26.0% | 21,014 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2016 | 25.8% | 21,940 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2017 | 24.7% | 20,597 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2018 | 23.4% | 19,454 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2019 | 22.4% | 18,248 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2020 | 22.1% | 17,651 | |||
Primary cesarean | 2021 | 21.5% | 18,043 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 1990 | 82.8% | 11,267 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 1991 | 80.9% | 10,868 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 1992 | 79.5% | 10,901 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 1993 | 78.6% | 10,729 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 1994 | 77.8% | 10,254 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 1995 | 73.1% | 9,730 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 1996 | 64.4% | 9,760 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 1997 | 65.8% | 10,048 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 1998 | 66.8% | 10,145 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 1999 | 70.1% | 10,665 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2000 | 73.3% | 11,333 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2001 | 78.9% | 12,287 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2002 | 83.5% | 12,913 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2003 | 86.1% | 14,036 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2004 | 88.9% | 14,502 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2005 | 90.8% | 15,468 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2006 | 91.5% | 16,027 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2007 | 92.3% | 16,933 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2008 | 92.8% | 16,849 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2009 | 92.7% | 17,034 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2010 | 92.1% | 16,638 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2011 | 91.5% | 16,842 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2012 | 91.2% | 16,535 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2013 | 90.3% | 16,706 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2014 | 89.6% | 16,735 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2015 | 88.5% | 15,109 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2016 | 88.1% | 15,171 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2017 | 88.3% | 15,750 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2018 | 87.4% | 15,864 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2019 | 86.2% | 15,289 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2020 | 85.5% | 14,597 | |||
Repeat cesarean | 2021 | 84.9% | 14,813 |
Data Notes
Primary cesarean rate = cesarean deliveries per 100 births to women with no prior cesarean births[[br]] Repeat cesarean rate = cesarean deliveries per 100 births to women with a prior cesarean birthData Source
Birth Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of HealthMethod of Delivery: Cesarean Delivery Rate by Mother's Race/Ethnicity, New Jersey, 2021
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage of Live Births | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | Numer- ator | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 6 | ||||||
White | 29.8% | 29.3% | 30.2% | 13,853 | ||
Black | 36.9% | 36.0% | 37.7% | 4,698 | ||
Hispanic | 33.8% | 33.3% | 34.4% | 9,491 | ||
Asian | 34.8% | 33.9% | 35.8% | 3,542 | ||
New Jersey | 32.4% | 32.1% | 32.7% | 32,856 | ||
United States | 32.1% | 1,174,545 |
Data Notes
Data for White, Black, and Asian do not include Hispanics. Hispanic ethnicity includes persons of any race.Data Source
Birth Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of HealthMethod of Delivery: Cesarean Delivery Rate by County of Residence, New Jersey, 2021
County | Percentage of Live Births | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | Numer- ator | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 23 | ||||||
Atlantic | 35.1% | 33.3% | 36.9% | 960 | ||
Bergen | 36.0% | 35.0% | 37.0% | 3,284 | ||
Burlington | 29.8% | 28.5% | 31.2% | 1,382 | ||
Camden | 27.3% | 26.2% | 28.4% | 1,698 | ||
Cape May | 38.8% | 35.3% | 42.5% | 282 | ||
Cumberland | 30.3% | 28.2% | 32.5% | 534 | ||
Essex | 35.1% | 34.1% | 36.1% | 3,411 | ||
Gloucester | 32.1% | 30.4% | 33.8% | 974 | ||
Hudson | 35.4% | 34.4% | 36.4% | 3,226 | ||
Hunterdon | 32.2% | 29.3% | 35.1% | 337 | ||
Mercer | 31.1% | 29.7% | 32.5% | 1,271 | ||
Middlesex | 35.0% | 34.0% | 36.0% | 3,049 | ||
Monmouth | 31.3% | 30.1% | 32.4% | 1,914 | ||
Morris | 32.8% | 31.5% | 34.2% | 1,617 | ||
Ocean | 19.3% | 18.5% | 20.0% | 1,966 | ||
Passaic | 40.2% | 38.9% | 41.4% | 2,510 | ||
Salem | 32.6% | 29.2% | 36.2% | 233 | ||
Somerset | 34.3% | 32.7% | 36.0% | 1,087 | ||
Sussex | 34.8% | 32.3% | 37.4% | 476 | ||
Union | 34.8% | 33.7% | 36.0% | 2,296 | ||
Warren | 33.6% | 30.7% | 36.6% | 349 | ||
New Jersey | 32.4% | 32.1% | 32.7% | 32,856 | ||
United States | 32.1% | 1,174,545 |
Data Source
Birth Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of HealthReferences and Community Resources
1. [http://nurturenj.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/20210120-Nurture-NJ-Strategic-Plan.pdf#page=61 Nurture NJ 2021 Strategic Plan], pages 61-62. C-section Rates for NJ Hospitals: [https://nj.gov/health/maternal/] National Center for Health Statistics Method of Delivery Fast Stats: [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/delivery.htm]
Page Content Updated On 08/15/2023,
Published on 08/15/2023