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Table 1 Patient characteristics by Health Service Executive hospital region for singleton, live birth delivery hospitalisations (N=323,588), Republic of Ireland, 2005-2009

From: Regional variation in obstetrical intervention for hospital birth in the Republic of Ireland, 2005–2009

Characteristic

Dublin Mid Leinster (n=102,509)

Dublin Northeast (n=65,667)

South (n=79,789)

West (n=75,623)

Age, years [mean (SD)]

30.6 (5.7)

30.0 (5.7)

30.4 (5.6)

30.7 (5.7)

Married

65,079 (63.5)

38,898 (59.2)

48,886 (61.3)

50,903 (67.3)

Medical card possessiona

12,497 (12.2)

10,828 (16.5)

8,847 (11.1)

26,414 (34.9)

Length of stay, days [median (IQR)]

3 (2–4)

3 (2–4)

3 (2–5)

3 (2–5)

ICU admission

99 (0.1)

437 (0.7)

128 (0.2)

177 (0.2)

Hospital transferb

75 (0.1)

66 (0.1)

144 (0.2)

144 (0.2)

Previous caesarean delivery

6,608 (10.1)

10,956 (10.7)

8,804 (11.0)

7,502 (9.9)

Morbidities

Hypertensive disorders

5,228 (5.1)

3,677 (5.6)

3,957 (5.0)

4,271 (5.7)

Gestational diabetes

1,773 (1.7)

1,515 (2.3)

861 (1.1)

951 (1.3)

Established diabetes

374 (0.4)

178 (0.3)

279 (0.4)

211 (0.3)

Antepartum haemorrhage

1,234 (1.2)

870 (1.3)

1,092 (1.4)

606 (0.8)

Placental disorders

385 (0.4)

736 (1.1)

455 (0.6)

342 (0.5)

  1. Note: Values are N (%) unless otherwise indicated.
  2. Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation; IQR, inter-quartile range; ICU, intensive care unit.
  3. a Possession of a medical card provides low-income individuals with select free health care services.
  4. b Includes transfers to acute hospital, psychiatric ward, rehabilitation centre or hospice.