Summary

Women who gave birth and births

There were 252,871 women who gave birth in 2004 reported to the NPDC, resulting in a total of 257,205 births. Of these, 1,919 were fetal deaths (Table 2.1). This showed an increase of 280 births (0.1%) from the 256,925 reported in 2003.

Table 2.1: Women who gave birth and births, by state and territory, 2004

 

NSW

VIC

QLD

WA

SA

Tas

ACT

NT

Australia

Mothers

84,289

62,543

50,051

25,111

17,228

5,413

4,799

3,437

252,871

Fetal Deaths

561

618

347

188

113

37

33

22

1,919

Live births

85,065

63,082

50,563

25,340

17,408

5,483

4,893

3,452

255,286

All births

85,626

63,700

50,910

25.528

17,521

5,520

4,926

3,474

257,205

There were 255,286 live births in 2004 reported to the NPDC. This was 1,040 more than the 254,246 live births registered in Australia in 2004 (ABS 2005). Reasons for the differences in the national figures on live births between the two collections are being further investigated, but somewhat reflect the different methods and timing of the data collections. The NPDC is an epidemiological dataset collected at birth for the purpose of monitoring pregnancy. In comparison, the birth registration data is a vital statistics collection that relies on reporting by the parents or guardians, with requirements for reporting specified by individual states and territories. The differences between the two collections would be partly due to delays in the registration of, or failure to register, some live births. However, delays in registration would likely be balanced by the late registration of births from the previous year. Table 2.2 shows the number of live births in the two collections by state and territory, and year of occurrence of the birth. The impact of the timing of registering births is demonstrated in this table, but suggests that even after a one year catch-up, the NPDC is a more timely estimate of the number of live births in Australia. Data were not available for births that occurred in 2004 but were registered in 2005. Therefore, data are presented for 2000 to 2003 to allow for inclusion of births that occurred late in 2003 and were registered in 2004 and to also include late registrations for births in earlier years. In these years the NPDC has recorded more live births than were registered, overall and in most states and territories. Percentage differences show 2.4% more live births reported to the NPDC for births in 2000, increasing to a difference of 4.9% for births in 2003, the latest year of comparable data on births available (Table 2.2). The majority of births are registered in the year of occurrence. For example, of births in 2000, 87.5% were registered in that year, 10.6% were registered in 2001, 0.8% in 2002, and 0.5% were registered in each of 2003 and 2004.

Table 2.2: Live births reported to the National Perinatal Data Collection and birth registration data, by state and territory, 2000 to 2003

Year of

birth/data

collection

NSW

Vic

Qld

WA

SA

Tas

ACT

NT

Australia

2000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NPDC

87,322

62,148

48,958

25,023

17,766

5,839

4,736

3,638

255,430

ABS

85,107

60,547

47,469

24,493

17,509

5,815

4,757

3,665

249,362

% difference

2.6

2.6

3.1

2.2

1.5

0.4

-0.4

-0.7

2.4

2001

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NPDC

85,320

 61,690

49,327

24,773

17,584

5,656

4,478

3,744

252,572

ABS

81,994

59,664

47,353

24,031

17,260

5,613

4,458

3,758

244,131

% difference

4.1

3.4

4.2

3.1

1.9

0.8

0.4

-0.4

3.5

2002

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NPDC

85,490

62,681

48,867

24,609

17,623

5,660

4,769

3,689

253,388

ABS

81,932

61,112

46.159

23,637

17,270

5,769

4,716

3,728

244,323

% difference

4.3

2.6

5.9

4.1

2.0

-1.9

1.1

-1.0

3.7

2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NPDC

85,891

63,018

50,059

24,497

17,710

5,482

4,821

3,621

255,099

ABS

81,265

60,643

46,781

23,215

17,266

5,579

4,800

3,667

243,216

% difference

5.7

3.9

7.0

5.5

2.6

-1.7

0.4

-1.3

4.9

Note: ABS data based on year of birth and state/territory of registration. Sources: National Perinatal Data Collection; ABS births database 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004.