Fast Facts

2002

Photograph courtesy Megan Daniels
Photograph courtesy R. Walton
In the United States In North Carolina
4,021,726 babies born in the US 117,307 babies born in North Carolina
Midwives caught 32,579 (8.1%) of the babies born in the US (1% in 1975) Certified Nurse Midwives caught 10,840 (9.2%) in all settings combined.
Of the babies caught by midwives, Certified Nurse Midwives caught 30,8168 (94.6%) "Other attendants" caught 415 (.35%) in all settings
99% of midwife-attended births took place in a hospital Doctors delivered 90.4% of babies in hospitals
Doctors delivered 91.3% of babies in hospitals (In 1975 Doctors delivered 98.7%) Total Cesarean section rate 26.4%; 16.7% were first time Cesareans and 9.7% were repeat Cesareans
Of the births outside a hospital, 65% were homebirths and 27% were birth center births Only 1.5% of NC women givng birth after a previous C-section gave birth vaginally
Total Cesarean section rate 26.1%; 15.9% were first time Cesareans and 10.2% were repeat Cesareans 19.8% of live births were induced
Only 1.5% of US women givng birth after a previous C-section gave birth vaginally Infant mortality rate 8.6/1000 live births. That means in 2001, 1,012 infants died before reaching their first birthday
20.6% of live births were induced
Infant mortality rate 6.8/1000 live births. That means in 2001, 27,523 died before reaching their first birthday.
Information gathered from the National Center for Health Statistics as well as The March of Dimes. NOTE: due to the underreporting of midwife attended births, this data should be considered lower estimates of the actual number of midwife attended births. Information gathered from North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics and the March of Dimes. NOTE: due to the underreporting of midwife attended births, this data should be considered lower estimates of the actual number of midwife attended births.