Live births and fetal deaths (stillbirths), by type of birth (single or multiple)^{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}

Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Vital Statistics, Birth and Stillbirth Databases

Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached.

Fetal death (stillbirth) is death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy; the death is indicated by the fact that after such separation the fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles. 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.

The following standard symbols are used in this Statistics Canada table: (..) for figures not available for a specific reference period, (...) for figures not applicable and (x) for figures suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act.

During the production of each year's birth/death/stillbirth statistics, data from previous years may be revised to reflect any updates or changes that have been received from the provincial and territorial vital statistics registrars.

Prior to April 30, 2015, three forms - a medical certificate of stillbirth, a notice of livebirth or stillbirth and a statement of stillbirth - were required in order to register a stillbirth in Ontario. As of April 30, 2015, registration can occur in the absence of one or two of the forms, thus contributing to the increase observed between 2011 and 2012.

2017 and 2018 data for Yukon are not available.

Due to improvements in methodology and timeliness, the duration of data collection has been shortened compared to previous years. As a result, there may have been fewer births and stillbirths captured by the time of the release. The 2016, 2017, and 2018 data are considered preliminary.

The geographic distribution of live births and fetal deaths (stillbirths) in this table is based on the mother's usual place of residence.

Unknown province or territory of residence of mother, refers to live births or fetal deaths (stillbirths) to mothers who are residents of Canada, with unknown province or territory of residence.

Type of birth refers to the plurality of a delivery, that is, whether the delivery results in one or more live born or stillborn infants. The category "Type of birth, multiples" includes the delivery of twins, triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets or more.

For the reference year 2010, the total number of live births by type of birth (single and multiple) doesn't match the sum of the single and multiple birth categories because it includes 152 cases where the type of birth is unknown.

2010 data on fetal deaths (stillbirths) by type of birth have been revised as of March 19, 2013.