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

1 in 3 mothers had a caesarean section in 2017 6.7% of liveborn babies were low birthweight in 2017 Approximately 6 stillbirths and 2 neonatal deaths occur each day Almost 30% of perinatal deaths were caused by congenital anomaly In 2017, 301,095 women gave birth to 305,667 babies 72% of mothers received antenatal care in the first trimester in 2017 compared with 63% in 2010 44% of Indigenous mothers smoked during pregnancy in 2017 compared with 52% in 2009 13% of women who gave birth in 2017 had gestational diabetes

Latest reports

See all reports

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