We collect data from the Scottish Morbidity Record 02 (SMR02). These are submitted to us by maternity hospitals.

A wide range of information is collected on the SMR02.

For the mother:

  • age
  • height
  • weight
  • smoking history
  • previous obstetric history

For the birth:

  • induction
  • method of delivery
  • outcome

For the baby

  • apgar score
  • sex
  • gestation
  • weight

Although there is no legal requirement to submit data, the level of submission falls only slightly short of the known total number of births occurring each year. This means that Scotland has some of the best information on pregnancy and births available anywhere in the world.

View our births in Scotland annual report.

Last updated: 28 February 2024
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