Live Birth Highlights
2003					
										Recent
										Trend in
Key Indicators			Period		Delaware		U.S.		Delaware*
												
Births												
• Births per 1,000 females  	1999-2003		63.1		65.9		Increasing
  15-44 years of age	
  (See Tables C-6 to C-8)											
												
Teen Births												
• Births per 1,000 females		1999-2003		46.9		45.6		Decreasing
  15-19 years of age	
  (See Table C-5)											
												
• Births per 1,000 females		1999-2003		27.2		25.1		Decreasing
  15-17 years of age	
  (See Table C-5)										
											
• Births per 1,000 females		1999-2003		74.3		77.4		Increasing
  18-19 years of age
  (See Table C-5)										
											
Single Moms											
• Percentage of births to		1999-2003		39.8		NA		Increasing
  single mothers
  (See Tables C-13 to C-16)										
											
Low Birth Weight											
• Percentage of births 		1999-2003		9.2		NA		Increasing
  weighing less than 2500 gms
  (See Tables C-24 to C-27)										
											
Very Low Birth Weight											
• Percentage of births 		1999-2003		1.9		NA		Stable
  weighing less than 1500 gms
  (See Tables C-28 to C-31) 										
													
Prenatal Care													
• Percentage of births to		1999-2003		85.1		NA		Increasing
  mothers receiving first 
  prenatal visit in the first 
  trimester
  (See Tables C-36 to C-39)												
													
													
Key Facts													
													
 •There were 11,337 births to Delaware residents in 2003 (see Table C-1).
												
													
 •The percent of mothers receiving their first prenatal visit in the 
first trimester was highest in New Castle County (90.6%) and lowest in 
Kent County (74.8%)  (See Table C-36).												
													
 •Teen birth rates (15-19 years of age) were highest in Sussex County 
(60.5) and lowest in New Castle County (41.9) in 1999-2003 (see Table 
C-5).												
													
 •The percent of cesarean section deliveries increased from 27.3% in 
2002 to 29.1% in 2003 (see Table C-58).												
													
 •Medicaid paid for 41% of all deliveries in 2003 compared to 38.9% in 
2002 (see Table C-45).												


Printed copies of the graph and charts can by obtained by contacting: 
Delaware Division of Public Health
Delaware Health Statistics Center
417 Federal Street
Dover, Delaware 19901
(302) 744-4541