Overview

A newborn baby's health can be a key determinant of their health and wellbeing throughout life. Factors such as physical health, social wellbeing and exposure to harmful behaviours can influence health outcomes for both mothers and babies.

More reports and statistics on mothers & babies can be found under Children & youth and Men & women.

Latest findings

Women younger than 20 years were least likely to access antenatal care in the first trimester 1 in 10 (9.6%) women smoked during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy in 2017 In 2017, 1.3% of babies born after 40 weeks gestation were classified as small 2 in 5 selected women had an induced labour in 2017, an increase from 1 in 3 in 2004 1 in 5 (22%) women having their first baby vaginally without instruments had an episiotomy in 2017 In 2017 almost 30% of selected women giving birth for the first time had a caesarean section 1 in 20 women who gave birth by caesarean section received general anaesthetic Fewer than 1 in 10 (9.6%) women who gave birth in 2017 smoked in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy 1 in 4 (26%) selected women had an instrumental vaginal birth for their first birth

Latest reports

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Highlights

30.6 yearsis the average age of women who give birth
8.5 per 100,000was the maternal mortality ratio in 2016
Almost 1 in 100pregnancies at or beyond 20 weeks gestation ends with the death of a baby
1 in 8mothers had a second birth vaginally after having their first birth by caesarean section
35%35% of mothers delivered by caesarean section in 2017 compared with 31% in 2007
44%44% of Indigenous mothers smoked during pregnancy in 2017, a decrease from 52% in 2009
Congenital anomaliesare the most common cause of perinatal death
63%63% of Indigenous mothers attended an antenatal visit in the first trimester in 2017 compared with 50% in 2012