Mode of Delivery of the First Child, Maternal and Neonatal Health, and Progression to a Second Birth in Norway

Emily Grundy, University of Essex
Øystein Kravdal, University of Oslo

Even in high-income populations quite high proportions of first-time mothers experience complications in pregnancy or delivery which may influence decisions about future fertility. Using data from the whole Norwegian population, we investigate whether birth experiences of first-time mothers of liveborn singleton babies in 2007-2017 were associated with progression to a second birth in a follow-up period of up to ten years adjusting for maternal socio-demographic characteristics and pre-pregnancy and postnatal medical consultations. We also analyse associations with postpartum depression and partnership breakdown. Results show an inverse association between mother’s level of education and having a caesarean delivery, and positive associations between lower levels of education and lack of a co-resident partner with having a baby with neonatal health problems. Mothers whose first child was delivered by caesarean section, whether elective or unplanned, were substantially less likely to have a second child in the follow-up period. Progression to a second birth was also negatively associated with having had pregnancy-related health conditions and a pre-term or low birthweight first baby. Norway is a very safe country for childbirth with a low rate of caesarean section deliveries so implications of our findings may be more pronounced in other settings.

Keywords: Fertility, Linked data sets , Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Inequality, Disadvantage and Discrimination

See extended abstract.