Birthweight
Birthweight is a key indicator of infant health and a principal determinant of a baby’s chance of survival and good health. A birthweight below 2,500 grams is considered low and is a known risk factor for neurological and physical disabilities. A baby may be small due to being born early (pre-term) or be small for gestational age, for example, due to fetal growth restriction within the uterus.
In 2018, 6.7% of babies born in Australia were low birthweight (Figure 3), and there has been little change since 2008. Birthweight and gestational age are closely related—low birthweight babies made up 57% of babies who were pre-term compared with only 2% of babies born at term.
Apgar score at 5 minutes
Apgar scores are clinical indicators that determine a baby’s condition shortly after birth. These scores are measured on a 10-point scale for several characteristics. An Apgar score of 7 or more at 5 minutes after birth indicates the baby is adapting well post-birth.
The vast majority (98%) of live born babies in 2018 had an Apgar score of 7 or more at 5 minutes after birth (Figure 3). This rate has remained steady since 2008.
Resuscitation
Resuscitation is undertaken to establish independent breathing and heartbeat or to treat depressed respiratory effort and to correct metabolic disturbances. Resuscitation methods range from less intrusive methods like suction or oxygen therapy to more intrusive methods, such as external cardiac massage and ventilation. If more than 1 type of resuscitation is performed, the most intrusive type is recorded.
Almost 1 in 5 (19%) live born babies required active resuscitation immediately after birth in 2018. Where resuscitation was required, intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) was the most common methods used (33% of babies requiring resuscitation), followed by suction or oxygen therapy (31%) (Figure 3). Data are for live born babies only, and exclude Western Australia.
Babies who required resuscitation were also more likely to have an Apgar score between 4 and 6 at 5 minutes—indicating that they have not adapted well post-birth—and to be admitted to a special care nursery or neonatal intensive care unit.
Stillbirth and neonatal deaths
A stillbirth is the death of a baby before birth, at a gestational age of 20 weeks or more, or a birthweight of 400 grams or more. A neonatal death is the death of a live born baby within 28 days of birth. Perinatal deaths include both stillbirth and neonatal deaths.
In 2018, there were 9.2 perinatal deaths for every 1,000 births, a total of 2,911 perinatal deaths. This included:
- 2,118 stillbirths, a rate of 7.0 deaths per 1,000 births
- 671 neonatal deaths, a rate of 2.2 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Between 2008 and 2018 the stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates have remained largely unchanged at between 7 and 8 in 1,000 births and between 2 and 3 in 1,000 live births, respectively.
For more information on the health of mothers and babies, see:
Visit Mothers and babies for more on this topic.
References
AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) 2020a. Australia's mothers and babies data visualisations. Cat. no. PER 101. Canberra: AIHW.
AIHW 2020b. Australia’s mothers and babies 2018—in brief. Perinatal statistics series no. 35. Cat. no. PER 100. Canberra: AIHW.
AHMAC (Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council) 2011. National Maternity Services Plan. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
Department of Health 2018. Clinical Practice Guidelines: Pregnancy care. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health. Viewed 1 September 2019.
WHO RHR (World Health Organization Department of Reproductive Health and Research) 2015. WHO statement on caesarean section rates. WHO/RHR/15.02. Geneva: WHO. Viewed 1 September 2019.