Perinatal Health Indicators (PHI):

The Perinatal Health Indicators (PHI) produced by the Public Health Agency of Canada's Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System present information on maternal, fetal and infant health in Canada based on data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information’s Discharge Abstract Database (CIHI-DAD), the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), and Vital Statistics (birth, stillbirth and death databases). The PHI are grouped into four key health domains: Health Behaviours and Practices, Health Services, Maternal Outcomes, and Infant Outcomes.

For a quick overview of the indicators and their measures including national estimates, click on any of the four domains listed below. For each indicator, the “Description” link will provide details concerning the measure and available data breakdowns.

The "Use the PHI Data Tool" button situated below brings you to a selection tool that provides access to all available data breakdowns and trends for every indicator.

Use the PHI Data Tool
PHI's Quick Stats is also available in a printer-friendly format (PDF document). For an accessible equivalent, please use the table below.

PHI's Quick Stats are also available in a printer-friendly format: (.pdf document)

Quick Stats Overview

For more information about each indicator, click on the domains below:

Health Behaviours and Practices
Indicator Group Indicator Measure(s) Latest Data Source (Year) Description
Folic Acid Supplementation - Reproductive Age Proportion of women of reproductive age who reported taking folic acid 21.5% CCHS (2022)Table Footnote a DescriptionProportion of women of reproductive age who reported taking folic acid
Folic Acid Supplementation - Periconceptional Proportion of women who reported taking folic acid during the periconceptional period 53.7% CCHS (2022)Table Footnote a DescriptionProportion of women who reported taking folic acid during the periconceptional period
Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy Proportion of women who reported smoking during pregnancy 4.2% CCHS (2022)Table Footnote a DescriptionProportion of women who reported smoking during pregnancy
Maternal Exposure to Second-hand Smoke during Pregnancy Proportion of women who reported exposure to second-hand smoke during pregnancy 5.7% CCHS (2022)Table Footnote a DescriptionProportion of women who reported exposure to second-hand smoke during pregnancy
Maternal Alcohol Consumption during Pregnancy Proportion of women who reported alcohol consumption during pregnancy 2.2% CCHS (2022)Table Footnote a DescriptionProportion of women who reported alcohol consumption during pregnancy
Breastfeeding Proportion of women who reported exclusive breastfeeding of their child for at least the first 6 months of life 38.2% CCHS (2022)Table Footnote a DescriptionProportion of women who reported exclusive breastfeeding of their child for at least the first 6 months of life
Co-Sleeping with infants under one year Proportion of women who reported daily co-sleeping with their child 31.9% CCHS (2022)Table Footnote a DescriptionProportion of women who report daily co-sleeping with their child
Proportion of women who reported occasional co-sleeping with their child 28.2% CCHS (2022)Table Footnote a DescriptionProportion of women who report occasional co-sleeping with their child
Proportion of women who reported never co-sleeping with their child 39.9% CCHS (2022)Table Footnote a DescriptionProportion of women who report never co-sleeping with their child
Number of births Number of live births 267476 CIHI-DAD (2022) DescriptionNumber of live births
Number of stillbirths 2492 CIHI-DAD (2022) DescriptionNumber of stillbirths
Birth rates/proportions Birth rate Table Footnote b 30.6 births per 1,000 women CIHI-DAD (2022) DescriptionBirth rate
Health Services
Indicator Group Indicator Measure(s) Latest Data Source (Year) Description
Cesarean Delivery Proportion of cesarean deliveries 33.9% CIHI-DAD (2022) DescriptionProportion of deliveries by cesarean section
Maternal Health Outcomes
Indicator Group Indicator Measure(s) Latest Data Source (Year) Description
Severe Maternal Morbidity Rate of severe maternal morbidity Table Footnote c 17.5 per 1,000 hospital deliveriesTable Footnote d CIHI-DAD (2022) DescriptionRate of severe maternal morbidity
Maternal Weight Gain during Pregnancy Proportion of women who reported gestational weight gain above the recommended Health Canada guidelines 37% CCHS (2022)Table Footnote a DescriptionProportion of women who reported gestational weight gain above recommended Health Canada guidelines
Proportion of women who reported gestational weight gain at the recommended Health Canada guidelines 36% CCHS (2022)Table Footnote a DescriptionProportion of women who reported gestational weight gain at recommended Health Canada guidelines
Proportion of women who reported gestational weight gain below the recommended Health Canada guidelines 27% CCHS (2022)Table Footnote a DescriptionProportion of women who reported gestational weight gain below recommended Health Canada guidelines
Diabetes during Pregnancy Rate of pregnant women with diagnosed diabetes (pre-existing or gestational diabetes) 119.6 per 1,000 hospital deliveriesTable Footnote d CIHI-DAD (2022) DescriptionRate of pregnant women with diagnosed diabetes (pre-existing or gestational diabetes)
Hypertension during Pregnancy Rate of pregnant women with diagnosed hypertension (pre-existing or gestational hypertension) 88.1 per 1,000 hospital deliveriesTable Footnote d CIHI-DAD (2022) DescriptionRate of pregnant women with diagnosed hypertension (pre-existing or gestational hypertension)
Infant Health Outcomes
Indicator Group Indicator Measure(s) Latest Data Source (Year) Description
Preterm Births Proportion of preterm birthsTable Footnote e 8.6% CIHI-DAD (2022) DescriptionProportion of preterm births
Small-for-Gestational-Age Proportion of Small-for-Gestational-AgeTable Footnote f 9.7% CIHI-DAD (2022) DescriptionProportion of Small-for-Gestational-Age
Large-for-Gestational-Age Proportion of Large-for-Gestational-AgeTable Footnote f 9.6% CIHI-DAD (2022) DescriptionProportion of Large-for-Gestational-Age
Fetal Mortality Fetal mortality rate Table Footnote g 8.9 per 1,000 total births Statistics Canada (2022) DescriptionFetal mortality rate
Infant Mortality Crude mortality rateTable Footnote h 4.7 per 1,000 live births Statistics Canada (2022) DescriptionCrude mortality rate
Crude neonatal mortality rate Table Footnote h 3.5 per 1,000 live births Statistics Canada (2022) DescriptionCrude neonatal mortality rate
Crude postneonatal mortality rateTable Footnote h 1.2 per 1,000 live births Statistics Canada (2022) DescriptionCrude postneonatal mortality rate
Multiple Births Proportion of multiple births 3.2% CIHI-DAD (2022) DescriptionProportion of multiple births

Notes

  • Abbreviations: CCHS, Canadian Community Health Survey; CIHI-DAD, Canadian Institute of Health Information - Discharge Abstract Database; HELLP, Hemolysis-Elevated Liver enzymes-Low Platelet count; ICE, International Collaborative Effort; ICU, Intensive Care Unit; LGA, Large-for-Gestational-Age; PHI, Perinatal Health Indicators; RBC, Red Blood Cells; SGA, Small-for-Gestational-Age.
  • Note: Unless otherwise stated, the data includes women from age 10-65 (CIHI) or age 15-55 (CCHS) who gave birth during a specified time period.
  • a Data from CCHS is self-reported.
  • b Birth rates: The denominator for the birth rate is the population estimates for the corresponding age category and jurisdiction(s) for the specific calendar year.
  • c Severe Maternal Morbidities: The 14 categorized types include: Severe preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome; Postpartum hemorrhage with RBC transfusion or procedures to the uterus or hysterectomy; Maternal ICU admission; Hysterectomy; Complications of obstetric surgery and procedures; Repair of bladder, urethra or intestine; Puerperal sepsis; Assisted Ventilation through endotracheal tube; Cardiac Conditions Curettage with RBC transfusion; Acute Renal Failure; Eclampsia; Obstetric Shock; Placenta previa with hemorrhage with RBC transfusion.
  • d Hospital deliveries include live births and stillbirths.
  • e Preterm Birth Rate: This indicator is defined as the number of live births with a gestational age at birth of less than 37 completed weeks (<259 days), expressed as a proportion of all live births. Limitation of data on preterm birth is error in reporting of gestational age, particularly when it is based on menstrual dates. These errors have diminished in recent decades as ultrasound confirmation of gestational age is widely used across Canada; however, dating ultrasounds performed in the first trimester are more accurate than in the second trimester.
  • f SGA and LGA: The small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and large-for-gestational-age (LGA) birth rates are defined as the number of live births for which birth weight is below the 10th percentile, or above the 90th percentile, respectively, for sex-specific birth weight for gestational age, expressed as a proportion of all singleton live births.
  • g Fetal Mortality Rate: This indicator is defined as the number of stillbirths, per 1000 total births (live births and stillbirths). Only fetal deaths where the product of conception has a birth weight of 500 grams or more or the duration of pregnancy is 20 weeks or longer are registered in Canada.
  • h Crude infant mortality rates are calculated from all births weighing at least 500g, and includes neonatal and postneonatal deaths. Infant Mortality Rate: This indicator is defined as the number of deaths of live born infants in the first year after birth per 1,000 live births. Infant deaths can be subdivided into neonatal deaths (0–27 days) and postneonatal deaths (28–364 days).
  • Suggested Citation: Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada. Perinatal Health Indicators Data Tool, 2024 Edition. Public Health Infobase. Ottawa (ON): Public Health Agency of Canada, 2024.
  • Hashtag: #PHI
  • For questions or comments, please contact us at: phac.infobase.aspc@canada.ca

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Date modified:
2024-06-11