BORN Ontario Resources
Midwives and other obstetrical care providers in Ontario enter client data in the Better Outcomes Registry Network (BORN). Most midwives are intimately familiar with the BORN Information System (BIS), the web-based interface midwives use to manually enter their clients’ information. While BORN data entry can be time-consuming, the information available in BORN is a crucial resource for midwifery researchers, policy makers and other midwifery stakeholders, who look to BORN for high-quality data on the outcomes of midwifery care. The AOM has created several resources, including guidance specific to consultations and transfers of care, to assist midwives in entering data into the BIS. BORN has also created several resources (members only; login required) for midwives to provide support in navigating the BIS and accessing BORN data reports.
There are two routes midwives can access BORN data: BORN clinical reports and custom data requests.
Check out the BORN data infographic for a snapshot of some key midwifery-relevant data retrieved from both clinical reports and custom data requests.
Giving birth with midwives in Ontario, based on BORN* data from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021
Where clients give birth
Midwifery clients can choose to give birth in hospital, at home or at a birth centre.
14% gave birth at home, 82% gave birth in a hospital and 2% gave birth at a birth centre.
Birth centres are only currently available in Ottawa and Toronto.
Home birth rates
Most clients having their first baby choose to give birth in hospital. But the percentage who choose home birth more than doubles for second or later babies.
7% of clients had their first baby at home.
20% of clients had their second or later baby at home.
Types of birth
79% of clients had a vaginal birth.
6% of clients had a vaginal birth with forceps/vacuum.
21% of clients had a c-section.
7% of clients had an episiotomy.
C-section rates for midwifery clients are lower than the provincial average. The rate is even lower for clients who planned a home birth.
32% of all births in Ontario were delivered via c-section.
21% of midwifery client births were delivered via c-section.
1% of midwifery clients who planned a home birth gave birth via c-section.
Pain relief
6% of clients were given nitrous oxide during labour and birth.
44% of clients were given epidural during labour and birth.
Feeding
74% of babies with midwives were exclusively nursing at six weeks.
Midwives cared for 20%, or 26,451 of Ontario’s 131,580 births.
*BORN (Better Outcomes Registry and Network) is an Ontario-wide database with information about all pregnancies and births in the province. Midwives, family doctors, obstetricians and other healthcare providers are required to enter data into BORN for every pregnancy and birth. The Association of Ontario Midwives can access standardized reports based on data entered into BORN by midwives. This information is aggregated and anonymized. All inferences, opinions, and conclusions drawn in this publication are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of BORN Ontario. Cite: Better Outcomes Registry and Network (BORN) Ontario. Years Provided: April 1, 2018 - March 31 2021. Resource Type: Tabulated data. Date of extract: February 1, 2022.