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Healthy Child Programme: final report

3.2.1.3. Type of Delivery

Following the consultation, the project team recommends that the following values are used for type of delivery (these are aligned with the “delivery method” national codes from the Maternity Services Dataset):

  • Spontaneous vertex
  • Spontaneous other cephalic
  • Low forceps, not breech
  • Other forceps, not breech
  • Ventouse, vacuum extraction
  • Breech
  • Breech extraction
  • Elective caesarean section
  • Emergency caesarean section

In line with the expert reference group consensus, the project team recommends that a heading is created for ‘attempted deliveries’ to capture methods attempted which did not result in the birth of the child.

Page last updated: 30 March 2026