Rates for obstetric intervention among private and public patients in Australia: population based descriptive study

British Medical Journal, July 15, 2000 by Christine L Roberts, Sally Tracy, Brian Peat

Table 1 Frequency (%) of maternal and infant characteristics

                                                   Patient
Pregnancy and infant                           classification
characteristics
([dagger])                                  Private (n=53 947)(*)

Maternal age (years)
<20                                                  0.5
20-34                                               77.6
[is greater than or equal to] 35                    21.9

Parity
0                                                   41.3
1-3                                                 57.0
[is greater than or equal to] 4                      1.8

Pre-existing medical condition
Yes                                                  1.5
None reported                                       98.5

Obstetric complication
Yes                                                 12.8
None reported                                       87.2

Hospital type
Private                                             53.0
Public                                              47.0

Presentation
Cephalic                                            94.3
Breech                                               4.4
Other                                                0.6

Plurality
Singleton                                           98.3
Twins                                                1.7

Birthweight or gestational age percentile
0.0-9.9                                              7.8
10.0-24.9                                           13.2
25.0-75.0                                           51.1
75.1-90.0                                           16.3
90.1-100                                            11.7

Birth weight (g)
<2500                                                4.1
2500-4499                                           94.1
[is greater than or equal to] 4500                   1.8

Gestational age (weeks)
<37                                                  5.5
37-41                                               92.8
[is greater than or equal to] 42                     1.7

Low risk women
Primiparas                                          21.0
Multiparas                                          28.2

                                                  Patient
Pregnancy and infant                           classification
characteristics
([dagger])                                  Public (n=116 759)(*)

Maternal age (years)
<20                                                  7.1
20-34                                               80.9
[is greater than or equal to] 35                    12.1

Parity
0                                                   39.8
1-3                                                 55.8
[is greater than or equal to] 4                      4.4

Pre-existing medical condition
Yes                                                  2.1
None reported                                       97.9

Obstetric complication
Yes                                                 16.0
None reported                                       84.0

Hospital type
Private                                              2.0
Public                                              98.0

Presentation
Cephalic                                            95.2
Breech                                               3.8
Other                                                0.7

Plurality
Singleton                                           98.9
Twins                                                1.1

Birthweight or gestational age percentile
0.0-9.9                                             11.6
10.0-24.9                                           15.9
25.0-75.0                                           49.4
75.1-90.0                                           13.8
90.1-100                                             9.2

Birth weight (g)
<2500                                                5.4
2500-4499                                           92.8
[is greater than or equal to] 4500                   1.7

Gestational age (weeks)
<37                                                  5.9
37-41                                               91.2
[is greater than or equal to] 42                     2.9

Low risk women
Primiparas                                          17.4
Multiparas                                          30.7