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Data quality, concepts and methodology: Explanatory notes for the tables

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Table 1 Live births, by sex and geography

  1. Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.
  2. The geographic distribution of live births in this table is based on the mother's usual place of residence.
  3. Unknown province or territory of residence of mother, refers to live births to mothers who are residents of Canada, with unknown province or territory of residence.

Table 2 Live births, by geography

  1. Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.
  2. The geographic distribution of live births in this table is based on the mother's usual place of residence.
  3. Unknown province or territory of residence of mother, refers to live births to mothers who are residents of Canada, with unknown province or territory of residence.
  4. Marital status of mother refers to her legal conjugal status at the time of the birth. Persons in common-law relationships are assigned to their legal marital status category. A single person is one who has never been married, or a person whose marriage has been annulled and who has not remarried. A separated person is legally married but is not living with his or her spouse because the couple no longer wants to live together. A divorced person is one who has obtained a legal divorce and has not remarried. A married person is one who is legally married and not separated. A person whose spouse has died and who has not remarried is widowed.

Table 3Mean age of mother, by geography

  1. Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.
  2. The geographic distribution of live births in this table is based on the mother's usual place of residence.
  3. Unknown province or territory of residence of mother, refers to live births to mothers who are residents of Canada, with unknown province or territory of residence.

Table 4 Crude birth rate, age specific and total fertility rates, by geography

  1. Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.
  2. The geographic distribution of live births in this table is based on the mother's usual place of residence.
  3. Rates for Canada include live births to mothers who are residents of Canada, with unknown province or territory of residence.

Table 5 Mean and median birth weight, by geography

  1. Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.
  2. The geographic distribution of live births in this table is based on the mother's usual place of residence.
  3. Unknown province or territory of residence of mother, refers to live births to mothers who are residents of Canada, with unknown province or territory of residence.
  4. Birth weight is the first weight of the newborn obtained immediately after birth, expressed in grams.

Table 6 Live births, Canada

  1. Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.
  2. Marital status of mother refers to her legal conjugal status at the time of the birth. Persons in common-law relationships are assigned to their legal marital status category. A single person is one who has never been married, or a person whose marriage has been annulled and who has not remarried. A separated person is legally married but is not living with his or her spouse because the couple no longer wants to live together. A divorced person is one who has obtained a legal divorce and has not remarried. A married person is one who is legally married and not separated. A person whose spouse has died and who has not remarried is widowed.
  3. The geographic distribution of live births in this table is based on the mother's usual place of residence.
  4. Parity refers to the number of live births a female has had to date (excludes fetal deaths or stillbirths). A female with zero parity has had no live births; a female of parity 1 has had one live birth, of parity 2, two live births and so on. In the case of a first delivery resulting in live twins, the female has a parity of 1 after the first twin is born and a parity of 2 after the second twin is born.

Table 7 Live births, by birth weight and geography

  1. Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.
  2. Birth weight is the first weight of the newborn obtained immediately after birth, expressed in grams.
  3. The geographic distribution of live births in this table is based on the mother's usual place of residence.
  4. Unknown province or territory of residence of mother, refers to live births to mothers who are residents of Canada, with unknown province or territory of residence.

Table 8 Live births, by weeks of gestation and geography

  1. Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.
  2. Weeks of gestation refers to the interval, in completed weeks, between the first day of the mother's last menstrual period and the day of delivery (that is, the duration of the pregnancy). It can also be any estimate of that interval, based on ultrasound, a physical examination or other method. Canadian birth registration documents do not specify how the weeks of gestation are to be calculated.
  3. The geographic distribution of live births in this table is based on the mother's usual place of residence.
  4. Unknown province or territory of residence of mother, refers to live births to mothers who are residents of Canada, with unknown province or territory of residence.

Table 9 Live births, by characteristics of the mother and child, Canada

  1. Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.
  2. The geographic distribution of live births in this table is based on the mother's usual place of residence.
  3. Birth weight is the first weight of the newborn obtained immediately after birth, expressed in grams.
  4. Parity refers to the number of live births a female has had to date (excludes fetal deaths or stillbirths). A female with zero parity has had no live births; a female of parity 1 has had one live birth, of parity 2, two live births and so on. In the case of a first delivery resulting in live twins, the female has a parity of 1 after the first twin is born and a parity of 2 after the second twin is born.
  5. Marital status of mother refers to her legal conjugal status at the time of the birth. Persons in common-law relationships are assigned to their legal marital status category. A single person is one who has never been married, or a person whose marriage has been annulled and who has not remarried. A separated person is legally married but is not living with his or her spouse because the couple no longer wants to live together. A divorced person is one who has obtained a legal divorce and has not remarried. A married person is one who is legally married and not separated. A person whose spouse has died and who has not remarried is widowed.
  6. Type of birth refers to the plurality of a delivery, that is, whether the delivery results in the birth of one or more liveborn or stillborn infants. The delivery must result in the birth of at least one liveborn infant to be included in this table. The category "Type of birth, multiple" includes the delivery of twins, triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets or more.
  7. Weeks of gestation refers to the interval, in completed weeks, between the first day of the mother's last menstrual period and the day of delivery (that is, the duration of the pregnancy). It can also be any estimate of that interval, based on ultrasound, a physical examination or other method. Canadian birth registration documents do not specify how the weeks of gestation are to be calculated.

Table 10 Live births, by place of residence of mother and place of occurrence, Canada, provinces, territories and outside Canada

  1. Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.
  2. Unknown province or territory of residence of mother, refers to live births to mothers who are residents of Canada, with unknown province or territory of residence.
  3. Place of residence of mother outside Canada includes live births to mothers who are non-residents of Canada and births with unknown country of residence of mother.

Table 11 Fetal deaths (20 weeks or more of gestation) and late fetal deaths (28 weeks or more of gestation), Canada, provinces and territories

  1. Fetal death (stillbirth) is death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy; the death is indicated by the fact that after such separation the fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles. Only fetal deaths where the product of conception has a birth weight of 500 grams or more or the duration of pregnancy is 20 weeks or longer are registered in Canada.
  2. Weeks of gestation refers to the interval, in completed weeks, between the first day of the mother's last menstrual period and the day of delivery (that is, the duration of the pregnancy). It can also be any estimate of that interval, based on ultrasound, a physical examination or other method. Canadian birth registration documents do not specify how the weeks of gestation are to be calculated.
  3. Weeks of gestation, 20 weeks or more (fetal deaths) refers to a fetal death (stillbirth) with a duration of pregnancy of 20 weeks or more, or a birth weight of 500 grams or more. Fetal deaths with unknown weeks of gestation are included.
  4. Weeks of gestation, 28 weeks or more (late fetal deaths) refers to a fetal death (stillbirth) with a duration of pregnancy of 28 weeks or more. Fetal deaths with unknown weeks of gestation are excluded.
  5. Fetal death (stillbirth) data are tabulated according to the mother's usual place of residence.
  6. Unknown province or territory of residence of mother, refers to fetal deaths (stillbirths) to mothers who are residents of Canada, with unknown province or territory of residence.

Table 12-1 Live births and fetal deaths (stillbirths), by geography – Type of birth (single or multiple)

  1. Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.
  2. Fetal death (stillbirth) is death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy; the death is indicated by the fact that after such separation the fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles. Only fetal deaths where the product of conception has a birth weight of 500 grams or more or the duration of pregnancy is 20 weeks or longer are registered in Canada.
  3. Type of birth refers to the plurality of a delivery, that is, whether the delivery results in one or more liveborn or stillborn infants. The category "Type of birth, multiples" includes the delivery of twins, triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets or more.
  4. The geographic distribution of live births and fetal deaths (stillbirths) in this table is based on the mother's usual place of residence.
  5. Unknown province or territory of residence of mother, refers to live births or fetal deaths (stillbirths) to mothers who are residents of Canada, with unknown province or territory of residence.

Table 12-2 Live births and fetal deaths (stillbirths), by geography – Place of birth (hospital and non-hospital)

  1. Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.
  2. Fetal death (stillbirth) is death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy; the death is indicated by the fact that after such separation the fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles. Only fetal deaths where the product of conception has a birth weight of 500 grams or more or the duration of pregnancy is 20 weeks or longer are registered in Canada.
  3. The category "Place of birth , non-hospital" includes births in private homes, in health care institutions such as nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, nursing stations and other short-term care facilities and other health care facilities not licensed to operate as hospitals by provincial, territorial or federal governments, such as free-standing birthing centres and at other specified sites.
  4. The geographic distribution of live births and fetal deaths (stillbirths) in this table is based on the mother's usual place of residence.
  5. Unknown province or territory of residence of mother, refers to live births or fetal deaths (stillbirths) to mothers who are residents of Canada, with unknown province or territory of residence.

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