Statistical Overview
There were 113,850 births to New Jersey residents in 1998. This represents a 0.5 percent increase from the number in 1997 (Table N1 and Figure N1). Age-specific birth rates continued to increase among older mothers while decreasing among younger mothers (Table N4). Multiple births were on the rise. In 1989, 2.2 percent of births (2,630) were part of a twin, triplet, or higher order birth. By 1998, the percentage had risen to 4.1 percent (4,610 births) -- an increase of 86.4 percent (Table N9 and Figure N4). Older mothers and white non-Hispanic mothers had the highest rates of multiple births (Table N10). By 1998, the proportion of deliveries made by cesarean section had risen to nearly one-quarter of all births. The rate of vaginal birth after a previous cesarean remained near one-third for all mothers who had a prior C-section (Table N15 and Figure N6). Cesareans were more common among older mothers, while vaginal deliveries were more likely for younger mothers (Table N17).

Maternal Characteristics
The median age of women who gave birth in 1998 was 30.1 (Table N28); 49.3 percent of mothers were under age 30 and 50.7 percent were 30 and over (Table N18 and Figure N8). The number and percent of births to teens continued a long decline (to 8,821 births or 7.7% of the total number of births) that has lasted more than two decades. Conversely, the number and percent of births to women 35 and over continued the opposite trend, increasing to 22,074 births (19.4% of all births) (Table N19 and Figure N9). For the first time in this series of reports, birth data were analyzed by race/ethnicity groups, rather than by race and by ethnicity separately (Table N18). White non-Hispanic women accounted for 55.9 percent of births; 17.7 percent were to Hispanic women of any race; 16.6 percent to black non-Hispanic women; and 6.5 percent were to Asian and Pacific Islander non-Hispanic women (Table N22 and Figure N7). For 26.1 percent of women giving birth in 1998, this was their first pregnancy (Table N25). This was the first live birth for 38.9 percent of mothers and the second for 33.3 percent (Table N27 and Figure N12). The median age for women giving birth to their first child was 27.7 (Table N28). The proportion of unmarried mothers continued to increase (to 28.0%) (Table N29 and Figure N13). The highest rates of unmarried mothers occur among women under 25 years of age and among black non-Hispanic and Hispanic mothers, where the proportions were over 50 percent (Table N30).

Nearly three-quarters of women received prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy, while only 1.0 percent did not receive care at all (Table N35 and Figure N14). Older mothers, white or Asian/Pacific Islander non-Hispanic mothers, married mothers, and mothers with higher levels of education were more likely to receive early prenatal care while younger mothers, black non-Hispanic mothers, unmarried mothers, and less educated mothers were more likely to not receive any care (Tables N37-N41). On average, women received 10.9 prenatal care visits in 1998. Preterm births (fewer than 37 weeks of gestation based on a clinical estimate) occurred 9.5 percent of the time. These infants were more likely to be part of a multiple birth and were more likely to be underweight (less than 2,500 grams) (Table N42).

In 1998, 11.0 percent of mothers reported that they smoked during pregnancy, 2.0 percent drank alcohol, and 2.1 percent used other drugs (Tables N43-N45 and Figure N16). Diabetes was the most frequently reported medical risk factor among mothers delivering in 1998 (4.0%). Among teen mothers and black non-Hispanic mothers, sexually transmitted diseases was the most common risk. Nearly 60 percent of women delivering in 1998 reported no medical risk factors (Table N46). The same percentage reported some complication of labor and/or delivery. Moderate or heavy meconium was most common (7.0%) in each age group and in each race/ethnicity group (Table N47). Ninety-three percent of mothers had electronic fetal monitoring performed (Table N48 and Figure N17).

Newborn Health
In 1998, 7.8 percent of infants were of low birth weight (less than 2,500 grams at birth). While the low birth weight percentages among white non-Hispanic, Hispanic, and Asian and Pacific Islander non-Hispanic infants were below or near the overall average (6.3%, 7.3%, and 7.9%, respectively), 13.9 percent of black non-Hispanic infants weighed less than 2,500 grams at birth (Table N49 and Figure N19). Low birth weights occurred most frequently among the youngest and the oldest mothers, while mothers aged 25-34 had the lowest rates (Table N49 and Figure N18). Low birth weight was highly correlated with plurality. While only 5.9 percent of singletons were of low birth weight, 53.0 percent of multiple births weighed less than 2,500 grams (Table N53 and Figure N21). The likelihood of low birth weight also increased with the number of previous pregnancy terminations and when the mother did not receive prenatal care (Tables N52 & N54 and Figures N20 & N22).

Nearly 95 percent of infants received a five-minute Apgar score of seven or higher. Mothers who did not receive prenatal care had the highest rates of low (0-6) Apgar scores (Table N56). Two-thirds of newborns had no abnormal conditions reported. Assisted ventilation of 30 minutes or more was the most frequently reported abnormal condition among newborns in 1998 (Table N57). There were no congenital anomalies reported on 92.7 percent of birth certificates (Table N58), however New Jersey maintains a separate Birth Defects Registry that may more accurately reflect the population of newborns and children with congenital anomalies.

The Technical Notes section contains information on sources of data, allocation of data by residence or occurrence, quality of data, racial and ethnic classification, definitions, and rates and ratios.

NATALITY DATA TABLES
Table N1	Births and Birth Rates, New Jersey and United States, 1978-1998
Table N2	Births and Birth Rates by County of Residence
Table N3	Births in Selected Municipalities
Table N4	Fertility and Age-Specific Birth Rates
Table N5	Births by Month and Day of Week
Table N6	Sex of Child by County of Residence
Table N7	Sex of Child for Selected Municipalities
Table N8	Sex of Child by Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N9	Plurality, 1988-1998
Table N10	Plurality by Age and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N11	Births by Attendant, 1989-1998
Table N12	Attendant by Age and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N13	Attendant by County of Residence
Table N14	Births by Place, 1989-1998
Table N15	Method of Delivery and VBAC Rate, 1989-1998
Table N16	Births by Method of Delivery
Table N17	Method of Delivery by Age and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N18	Births by Age and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N19	Births to Women in Selected Age Groups, 1978-1998
Table N20	Births by Age and County of Residence
Table N21	Births by Age for Selected Municipalities
Table N22	Births by Detailed Race/Ethnicity Groups and Hispanic Country of Origin
Table N23	Births by Race/Ethnicity and County of Residence
Table N24	Births by Race/Ethnicity for Selected Municipalities
Table N25	Previous Pregnancy History by Age of Mother
Table N26	First Birth Rate by Age and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N27	Live-Birth Order by Age and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N28	Median Age of Mother by Race/Ethnicity
Table N29	Births by Marital Status, 1978-1998
Table N30	Births by Marital Status and Detailed Age and Race/Ethnicity
Table N31	Births by Age, Race/Ethnicity, and Marital Status
Table N32	Births by Marital Status and County of Residence
Table N33	Births by Marital Status for Selected Municipalities
Table N34	Maternal Weight Gain by Gestation and Birth Weight
Table N35	Onset of Prenatal Care by County of Residence
Table N36	Onset of Prenatal Care for Selected Municipalities
Table N37	Births by Race/Ethnicity and Age of Mother and Onset of Prenatal Care
Table N38	Births by Marital Status and Age of Mother and Onset of Prenatal Care
Table N39	Births by Age and Birthplace of Mother and Onset of Prenatal Care
Table N40	Number of Prenatal Visits by Race/Ethnicity and Onset of Prenatal Care
Table N41	Births by Mother's Education and Onset of Prenatal Care
Table N42	Gestation by Race/Ethnicity, Plurality, and Birth Weight
Table N43	Smoking by Age and Race/Ethnicity
Table N44	Drinking by Age and Race/Ethnicity
Table N45	Drug Use by Age and Race/Ethnicity
Table N46	Medical Risk Factors by Age and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N47	Complications of Labor and/or Delivery by Age and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N48	Obstetric Procedures Performed by Age and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N49	Birth Weight by Age and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N50	Birth Weight by County of Residence
Table N51	Birth Weight for Selected Municipalities
Table N52	Birth Weight by Number of Previous Pregnancy Terminations
Table N53	Birth Weight by Plurality
Table N54	Birth Weight by Onset of Prenatal Care and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N55	Detailed Birth Weights
Table N56	Five-minute Apgar Score by Race/Ethnicity and Age of Mother and Onset of Prenatal Care
Table N57	Abnormal Conditions of Newborn by Age and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Table N58	Congenital Anomalies of Newborn by Age and Race/Ethnicity of Mother
NATALITY ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure N1	Births, New Jersey, 1978-1998
Figure N2	Birth Rates, New Jersey and the United States, 1978-1998
Figure N3	Birth Rates by County
Figure N4	Multiple Births, 1989-1998
Figure N5	Attendant at Birth, 1989-1998
Figure N6	Rate of Vaginal Birth After Previous Cesarean Section, 1989-1998
Figure N7	Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Figure N8	Age of Mother
Figure N9	Births to Women Under 20 and Women 35 and Over, 1978-1998
Figure N10	Percentage of Births to Teens by County
Figure N11	Teen Birth Rates by County
Figure N12	Birth Order
Figure N13	Unmarried Mothers, 1978-1998
Figure N14	Prenatal Care
Figure N15	Low Birth Weight by Weeks of Gestation
Figure N16	Smoking, Drinking, and Drug Use During Pregnancy
Figure N17	Obstetric Procedures Performed
Figure N18	Low Birth Weight by Age of Mother
Figure N19	Low Birth Weight by Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Figure N20	Low Birth Weight by Number of Previous Pregnancy Terminations
Figure N21	Low Birth Weight by Plurality
Figure N22	Low Birth Weight by Onset of Prenatal Care

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