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Pre-Term Births

Released: June 2009

A. Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 15-19 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Graph: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 15-19 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 15-19 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

All lines in the graph are a two period moving average trendline.

Table: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 15-19 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008
Year	Ages 15-19 PHPDB*	Ages 15-19 NIDAY**
1986	5.7
1987	7.0
1988	4.0
1989	5.6
1990	5.1
1991	9.4
1992	8.6
1993	8.8
1994	15.2
1995	15.3
1996	5.3
1997	14.6
1998	8.3
1999	7.5
2000	7.7
2001	4.7	7.7
2002	11.3	15.4
2003	9.9	15.8
2004	13.2	15.4
2005	5.6	6.9
2006	11.0	13.6
2007		6.9
2008		4.6

B. Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 20-24 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Graph: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 20-24 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

All lines in the graph are a two period moving average trendline.

Table: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 20-24 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008
Year	Ages 20-24 PHPDB*	Ages 20-24 NIDAY**
1986	5.4
1987	6.4
1988	5.6
1989	6.4
1990	5.8
1991	5.5
1992	5.8
1993	8.5
1994	7.5
1995	4.7
1996	6.3
1997	7.1
1998	5.3
1999	7.4
2000	9.6
2001	5.1	6.3
2002	3.1	4.4
2003	8.8	7.4
2004	7.2	8.2
2005	4.4	6.3
2006	7.1	8.7
2007		9.0
2008		8.3

C. Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 25-29 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Graph: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 25-29 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 25-29 in KFL&A, 1986-2008

All lines in the graph are a two period moving average trendline.

Table: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 25-29 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008
Year	Ages 25-29 PHPDB*	Ages 25-29 NIDAY**
1986	4.4
1987	4.2
1988	5.0
1989	4.4
1990	4.2
1991	5.9
1992	4.6
1993	6.0
1994	5.1
1995	4.2
1996	6.1
1997	5.7
1998	5.6
1999	3.9
2000	5.9
2001	6.1	9.2
2002	6.2	8.6
2003	5.9	9.2
2004	7.8	9.7
2005	6.5	7.2
2006	7.2	8.9
2007		7.9
2008		8.7

D. Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 30-34 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Graph: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 30-34 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 30-34 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

All lines in the graph are a two period moving average trendline.

Table: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 30-34 in KFL&A area
Year	Ages 30-34 PHPDB*	Ages 30-34 NIDAY**
1986	2.9
1987	5.6
1988	3.3
1989	4.9
1990	3.4
1991	4.2
1992	3.7
1993	5.1
1994	5.1
1995	5.5
1996	6.6
1997	5.5
1998	3.8
1999	5.1
2000	8.5
2001	5.2	7.6
2002	6.1	9.1
2003	7.5	9.6
2004	5.2	7.8
2005	5.1	7.9
2006	7.6	10.4
2007		8.8
2008		8.0

E. Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 35-39 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Graph: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 35-39 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 35-39 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

All lines in the graph are a two period moving average trendline.

Table: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 35-39 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008
Year	Ages 35-39 PHPDB*	Ages 35-39 NIDAY**
1986	3.1
1987	4.4
1988	3.1
1989	6.0
1990	4.4
1991	6.0
1992	6.1
1993	5.9
1994	6.9
1995	10.1
1996	8.1
1997	7.1
1998	4.8
1999	5.7
2000	7.7
2001	7.5	9.0
2002	4.4	7.8
2003	7.8	6.5
2004	7.8	9.8
2005	7.7	9.5
2006	5.2	11.4
2007		9.8
2008		8.3

F. Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 15-49 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Graph: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 15-49 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 15-49 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

All lines in the graph are a two period moving average trendline.

Table: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 15-49 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008
Year	Ages 15-49 PHPDB*	Ages 15-49 NIDAY**
1986	4.3
1987	5.2
1988	4.6
1989	5.1
1990	4.5
1991	5.4
1992	4.9
1993	6.3
1994	6.5
1995	6.0
1996	6.7
1997	6.5
1998	5.2
1999	5.5
2000	7.7
2001	5.9	8.0
2002	5.6	8.4
2003	7.5	9.0
2004	7.0	9.1
2005	5.7	7.5
2006	7.3	10.0
2007		8.7
2008		8.4

G. Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 15-29 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Graph: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 15-29 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 15-29 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

All lines in the graph are a two period moving average trendline.

Table: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 15-29 in FKL&A area, 1986-2008
Year	Ages 15-19 PHPDB*	Ages 15-19 NIDAY**	Ages 20-24 PHPDB*	Ages 20-24 NIDAY**	Ages 25-29 PHPDB*	Ages 25-29 NIDAY**
1986	5.7		5.4		4.4
1987	7.0		6.4		4.2
1988	4.0		5.6		5.0
1989	5.6		6.4		4.4
1990	5.1		5.8		4.2
1991	9.4		5.5		5.9
1992	8.6		5.8		4.6
1993	8.8		8.5		6.0
1994	15.2		7.5		5.1
1995	15.3		4.7		4.2
1996	5.3		6.3		6.1
1997	14.6		7.1		5.7
1998	8.3		5.3		5.6
1999	7.5		7.4		3.9
2000	7.7		9.6		5.9
2001	4.7	7.7	5.1	6.3	6.1	9.2
2002	11.3	15.4	3.1	4.4	6.2	8.6
2003	9.9	15.8	8.8	7.4	5.9	9.2
2004	13.2	15.4	7.2	8.2	7.8	9.7
2005	5.6	6.9	4.4	6.3	6.5	7.2
2006	11.0	13.6	7.1	8.7	7.2	8.9
2007		6.9		9.0		7.9
2008		4.6		8.3		8.7

H. Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 30-39 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Graph: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 30-39 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 30-39 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008

All lines in the graph area a two period moving average trendline.

Table: Singleton pre-term birth rates for females aged 30-39 in KFL&A area, 1986-2008
Year	Ages 30-34 PHPDB*	Ages 30-34 NIDAY**	Ages 35-39 PHPDB*	Ages 35-39 NIDAY**
1986	2.9		3.1
1987	5.6		4.4
1988	3.3		3.1
1989	4.9		6.0
1990	3.4		4.4
1991	4.2		6.0
1992	3.7		6.1
1993	5.1		5.9
1994	5.1		6.9
1995	5.5		10.1
1996	6.6		8.1
1997	5.5		7.1
1998	3.8		4.8
1999	5.1		5.7
2000	8.5		7.7
2001	5.2	7.6	7.5	9.0
2002	6.1	9.1	4.4	7.8
2003	7.5	9.6	7.8	6.5
2004	5.2	7.8	7.8	9.8
2005	5.1	7.9	7.7	9.5
2006	7.6	10.4	5.2	11.4
2007		8.8		9.8
2008		8.0		8.3

Pre-term birth is defined as giving birth with a gestational age of less than 37 weeks.

Please see Data Quality Issues at the end of this document. Age-specific rates for the age group 40-49 are not available due to low numbers.

Singleton pre-term births rates have been rising very slowly over the past 22 years. From 2000- 2006 mothers aged 15-19 have a significantly higher pre-term birth rate compared to all other age groups.

* Provincial Health Planning Database (PHPDB), Ontario Live Birth Data (1986-2006), Extracted: February 23, 2009, Health Planning Branch, Ontario MOHLTC.

**NIDAY Perinatal Database for KFL&A Public Health, 2001-2008.

NIDAY Perinatal Database

The Niday Perinatal Database is a comprehensive internet-based database that uses the provincial CritiCall system as a platform, providing immediate access to real-time population-based perinatal data. The Niday Perinatal Database (formerly known as the Eastern and Southeastern Ontario Perinatal Database) was created in 1997 under the direction of the Perinatal Partnership Program of Eastern and Southeastern Ontario (PPPESO). The database has evolved significantly to become a unique co-operative venture with hospitals, midwives, health units and other participants throughout the province. The database collects information on variables related to maternal, newborn and perinatal care characteristics, including information of births and obstetrical interventions. The database includes all hospital births in the region. PPPESO also captures all home births attended by midwives in Eastern and Southeastern Ontario. Almost 95 percent of births (home and hospital) in Ontario are currently entered into the Niday Perinatal Database.

Provincial Health Planning Database (PHPDB)

The PHPDB collects information from Ontario Vital Statistics, where births, marriages, and deaths are required to be registered. A live birth database is complied each year by the Provincial Office of the Registrar General (ORG) and is edited by Statistics Canada. The edited files are then sent to the Ontario Ministry of Long-term Care (MOHLTC) for distribution and analysis. The MOHLTC provides health units with access to the database through the Provincial Health Planning Database (PHPDB). There is currently a three year delay before annual live birth data are received by the MOHLTC.

Data Quality Issues for Ontario Live birth data

Live birth registration

There are some data quality issues with the live birth database. For a birth to be included in the live birth database, documentation must be received from both the parents and the attending physician. If the ORG does not receive both pieces of documentation, the birth event will not be registered into the database. A study completed by Toronto Public Health indicated that the percentage of unregistered births in Ontario increased from an average of 1% between 1991 and 1996 to 2.3 % in 1997. The percentage of unregistered births was higher among teen mothers and low birth weight babies. The increase between 1996 and 1997 in unregistered births may be explained by the introduction of a birth registration fee for parents of $27.50.

Gestational age and birth weight

It is recommended that the gestational age variable from 1992 through to 1997 not be used for analysis due to inconsistencies in parental reporting of their child's birth weight and gestational age.