| Code | SH.STA.BRTC.ZS |
| Indicator Name | Births attended by skilled health staff (% of total) |
| Short definition | Births attended by skilled health staff are the percentage of deliveries attended by personnel trained to give the necessary supervision, care, and advice to women during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period; to conduct deliveries on their own; and to care for newborns. |
| Long definition | Births attended by skilled health staff are the percentage of deliveries attended by personnel trained to give the necessary supervision, care, and advice to women during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period; to conduct deliveries on their own; and to care for newborns. |
| Source | State of the World's Children, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF);
Childinfo, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF);
Demographic and Health Surveys, DHS Program (ICF) |
| Topic | Health: Reproductive health |
| Dataset | WDI |
| Unit of measure | Percent of live births |
| Periodicity | Annual |
| Reference period | 1980-2022 |
| Aggregation method | Weighted average |
| Statistical concept and methodology | Methodology: National-level household surveys are the primary sources for collecting data on skilled health personnel providing childbirth care. These surveys include Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), Reproductive Health Surveys (RHS), and other national surveys based on similar methodologies. Respondents in these surveys are asked about their last live birth and who assisted during delivery, covering a period of up to five years before the interview.
As part of the data harmonization process and interaction with countries, UNICEF conducts an annual country consultation. During this consultation, SDG country focal points are contacted to update and verify values included in the database and to obtain new data sources. These new data sources are reviewed and assessed jointly with WHO. Additionally, the national categories or occupational titles of skilled health personnel are verified. The reported data for some countries may include additional categories of trained personnel beyond doctors, nurses, and midwives. |
| Development relevance | Reproductive health is a state of physical and mental well-being in relation to the reproductive system and its functions and processes. Means of achieving reproductive health include education and services during pregnancy and childbirth, safe and effective contraception, and prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death and disability among women of reproductive age in developing countries.
The share of births attended by skilled health staff is an indicator of a health system's ability to provide adequate care for pregnant women. |
| Limitations and exceptions | For the indicators that are from household surveys, the year refers to the survey year. For more information, consult the original sources. |
| Other notes | Assistance by trained professionals during birth reduces the incidence of maternal deaths during childbirth. The share of births attended by skilled health staff is an indicator of a health system’s ability to provide adequate care for pregnant women.
This is the Sustainable Development Goal indicator 3.1.2[https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/]. |
| License URL | https://datacatalog.worldbank.org/public-licenses#cc-by |
| License Type | CC BY-4.0 |
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