The 1998 Indiana Natality Report includes information on births to Indiana residents that occurred during 1998. Information is presented at the state, county, and city level (the 26 largest cities). This report includes data by age, race, and marital status of the parents; characteristics of the newborn such as birth order and congenital anomalies; and outcome indicators such as alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy, gestation length, and birth weight.

The 1998 Indiana Natality Report also includes information on the number of reported pregnancies by county of residence and age of mother. Reported pregnancies include live births, fetal deaths, and terminated pregnancies (performed in Indiana). Rates per 1,000 females in selected age groups are also provided.

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), through provisions in Indiana Code 16-37-1, administers "...a system of vital statistics for Indiana." The Vital Statistics Team of the ISDH compiles data from original birth certificates filed with the ISDH, and from transcripts of original certificates for Indiana residents giving birth in other states. The Data Analysis Team of the Epidemiology Resource Center compiles these data and produces standard statistical reports.

The 1998 Indiana Terminated Pregnancy Report provides a summary of the terminated pregnancies reported in Indiana. Summary tables have been developed, some of which include data for each county. The information provided in these tables is intended for health professionals, students, legislators, and others interested in the health of the Indiana community.

Information is provided to the state on terminated pregnancies under the authority of Indiana State Code 16-34-2-5.

The 1998 Indiana Marriage Report provides a summary of information about all of the marriages that occurred in the state during 1998. The information provided in this report is intended for professionals, students, legislators, and others interested in information on marriages that occurred in Indiana.

Information about marriages is tabulated by place of occurrence rather than place of residence, as is the case for most other vital events (births, deaths, etc.). This difference is a consequence of the fact that marriages involve two individuals who often reside in different states or countries. In the table under place of residence, the number of marriages that involved out-of-state residents is specified.

In Indiana, the minimum age for marriage is 18. Exceptions to this minimum age are provided for those under age 18 if court approval and/or parental consent are obtained.

Counts and marriage rates are provided for Indiana and each of the 92 counties. Rates are expressed as the number of marriages per 1,000 population in specified state, county, and/or marital status categories. High county marriage rates mean an unusually high number of marriages for the size of the county population. These high rates are most likely a result of nonresident marriages rather than inherent differences in the marrying behavior among residents of different counties.

Information is also provided on a number of characteristics of the marriage (month of occurrence, day of occurrence, and ceremony type) as well as characteristics of both the bride and the groom (age, education level, race, place of residence, previous marital status, and number of marriages).