Australia's most comprehensive national report on its Indigenous
mothers and their babies will be released today by the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare's National Perinatal Statistics
Unit.
Indigenous Mothers and their Babies, Australia,
1991-1993 gives detailed information on Indigenous women and
their babies, a high risk health group which accounts for 1 in 35
births in Australia each year.
Associate Professor Dr Paul Lancaster, Director of the National
Perinatal Statistics Unit and an author of the report, drew
particular attention to the high caesarean rate among Indigenous
mothers.
'The high caesarean rate is an important part of the birthing
care of Indigenous mothers that needs much closer attention', Dr
Lancaster said. 'In public hospitals, where 98% of Indigenous
mothers give birth, 1 in 7 women aged 15-19 years had a caesarean,
as did 1 in 5 aged 30-34 and 1 in 4 aged 35-39 years. These rates
are higher in all age groups than for other women in
Australia.'
The study also shows that in 1991-1993, Indigenous women began
bearing children at younger ages than other women, had higher birth
rates in their teenage years and early twenties, and had more
children.
Another significant problem is the low average birthweight of
infants born to Indigenous mothers-216g less than that of other
infants.
'Indigenous babies suffer death rates twice that of other babies
in Australia and low birthweight is a major factor in that figure',
said Dr Lancaster.
Dr Lancaster also noted that although several innovative
programs had been developed by Indigenous communities in recent
years, better information is still needed 'not only about health
services for Indigenous women and their babies, but also all babies
born to Indigenous fathers'.
'This report makes specific recommendations on linking data
systems to further improve data quality, and on communicating
information more effectively to Indigenous communities', Dr
Lancaster said.
More information is needed in areas such as: whether antenatal
and postnatal services in diverse cultural settings are acceptable
to Indigenous people; who provides antenatal care, and whether
suitably trained Aboriginal health workers are available; at what
stage of pregnancy antenatal care begins; and whether there are
safe alternatives to existing policies for transporting low-risk
pregnant women to distant hospitals for childbirth.
11 December 1996
Embargo: Strictly not for publication before 11
December 1996.
Further information: Dr Paul Lancaster, AIHW
National Perinatal Statistics Unit, ph. 02 9351 4379 or 02 9351
5204 (fax).
General media liaison: Lyn Elliott, AIHW, ph.02
6244 1034.
For media copies of the report (76 pp): Chris
Finnegan, AIHW, ph. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications Catalogue
for details.