About the New York State County/ZIP Code Perinatal Data Profile

Data Source:

NYSDOH Vital Statistics Program
Vital statistics data from a three-year period are used to create ZIP Code based tables of commonly requested perinatal data. Tables for individual counties are provided.

The terms used in the data tables:

ZIP Code
United States Postal Service (Zone Improvement Plan) ZIP CodeTM. When a ZIP Code crosses county boundaries, the ZIP Code is included in the county where the largest portion of the ZIP Code is located.
Total Births
The total resident births recorded during the three-year time period.
Premature Births
Births that occurred prior to 37 weeks of gestation.
Low Birth Weight
Births weighing between 100-2499 grams.
Unmarried Parent
New York State Public Health Law (4135) prohibits the specific statement on the birth certificate as to whether the child was born in or out of wedlock. Unmarried Parent, or out of wedlock, live births have been defined as those births for which the birthing parent has either filed an acknowledgement of parenthood or supplied no spousal information.
Medicaid or Self-pay
Medicaid births - births to mothers whose primary financial coverage was Medicaid, PCAP, MOMS, Child Health Plus A, Medicaid Managed Care, or Family Health Plus.
Self-pay births - births to mothers without health insurance.
Late or No Prenatal care
Prenatal care was initiated during the third trimester of pregnancy or not at all.
Infant Deaths
Deaths occurred less than twelve months of age.
Infant Death Rate (infant deaths per 1,000 live births).
Neonatal Deaths
Death of an infant less than 28 days of age.
Neonatal Death Rate (neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births).
Teen Birth Rate
Births to females ages 15-19 per 1,000 female population ages 15-19. Rates are computed using the 3-year average number of teen births and the population for the middle year of the three-year time period.
Teen Pregnancy Rate
Pregnancies (births+abortions+spontaneous fetal deaths) to females ages 15-19 per 1,000 female population ages 15-19. Rates are computed using the 3-year average number of teen pregnancies and the population for the middle year of the three- year time period.

Note:

  1. Data are presented by geographic area of residence.
  2. Tables do not display the results for ZIP Code areas with fewer than 10 births during the 3-year time period. The county total includes the results for all ZIP Codes allocated to the county.
  3. In addition, births and deaths which do not have valid ZIP Codes are also only included in the county, state and region totals.
  4. Due to the two restrictions above, the sum of the births and deaths by ZIP Code may not add up to the county or state totals.
  5. Teen pregnancy and birth rate statistics are not reported for ZIP Codes with fewer than 30 resident females ages 15-19. The county rate includes results for all ZIP Codes allocated to the county.
  6. Teen pregnancy and birth rates use population estimates from Claritas Corporation.
  7. The county total on each table is computed by summarizing the ZIP Code data allocated for each county. Any numbers, rates, or percentages in the county total row may differ from county data reported elsewhere on the DOH website. This is because county level vital statistics data are usually aggregated based on the county of residence (regardless of ZIP Code). Thus, vital events among residents of the same ZIP Code (which sometimes cross county boundaries) may be reported in different counties. For this report, events among residents of ZIP Codes that cross county boundaries are all reported in the county where the largest portion of the ZIP Code is located. For example, although ZIP Code 12303 is in both Albany and Schenectady counties, all data for ZIP Code 12303 appears in the Albany county table.

If you have questions about these data, contact the Public Health Information Group at (518) 474-2543.