Live Birth Highlights

										Recent
										Trend in
Key Indicators					Period		Delaware	U.S.		 Delaware*

Births
Births per 1,000 females 15-44 years of age 	2000-2004	63.8		65.7		Increasing
(See Tables C-6 to C-8)

Teen Births
Births per 1,000 females 15-19 years of age 	2000-2004	45.1		43.7		Decreasing
(See Table C-5)

Births per 1,000 females 15-17 years of age	2000-2004	25.4		23.8		Decreasing
(See Table C-5)

Births per 1,000 females 18-19 years of age 	2000-2004	73.9		73.6		Decreasing
(See Table C-5)

Single Moms
Percentage of births to single mothers		2000-2004	40.5		34.2		Increasing
(See Tables C-13 to C-16)

Low Birth Weight
Percentage of births weighing less than  	2000-2004	 9.3		 7.8		Increasing
2500 grams (See Tables C-24 to C-27)

Very Low Birth Weight
Percentage of births weighing less than  	2000-2004	 1.9		 1.4		Stable
1500 grams (See Tables C-28 to C-31)

Prenatal Care
Percentage of births to mothers receiving
first prenatal visit in the first trimester 	2000-2004	85.4		NA		Increasing
(See Tables C-36 to C-39)


Key Facts

There were 11,358 births to Delaware residents in 2004 (See Table C-1).

The percent of mothers receiving their first prenatal visit in the first
trimester was highest in New Castle County (91.1%) and lowest in Sussex County 
(74.4%)  (See Table C-36).

Teen birth rates (15-19 years of age) were highest in Sussex County (57.7) and 
lowest in New Castle County (40.7) in 2000-2004 (See Table C-5).

The percent of cesarean section deliveries increased from 29.1% in 2003 to 30.3% 
in 2004 (See Figure C-18).

Medicaid paid for 43.5% of all deliveries in 2004 compared to 41% in 2003 (See 
Table C-45).

Printed copies of tables, graphs, and charts can by obtained by contacting: 

Delaware Health Statistics Center
Delaware Division of Public Health
417 Federal Street
Dover, Delaware 19901
(302) 744-4541