You asked
I am researching the incidence of Born Before Arrival with a particular interest in Freebirthing (where the woman decides not to call a midwife).
Can you tell me please what statistics you have for BBAs?
I am particularly interested in the following:
How many women were booked for a hospital birth but unexpectedly delivered at home?
How many women had booked at home but delivered before the midwife arrived?
How many women birthed at home but deliberately chose not to call a midwife?
If none of the above information is available I assume that they will all be entered as BBAs?
We said
Thank you for your enquiry.
We are responsible for publishing statistics on live births and stillbirths registered in England and Wales. Figures are compiled from information supplied when births are registered as part of civil registration, a legal requirement. The most recent annual figures published are for births and stillbirths registered in 2019.
Unfortunately, we do not hold the information you have requested. The information we hold on births is based primarily on birth registrations. Therefore, it is limited to what is recorded through the registration process. We are unable to provide statistics on Born Before Arrival or Freebirthing as this information is not among the particulars recorded. Further information regarding production of birth statistics is available in our User guide to birth statistics.
For more information about the services we offer please visit our website.