Summary
The National Perinatal Data Collection (NPDC) commenced in 1991 and is a collaborative effort by the AIHW and the states and territories. Perinatal data are collected for each birth in each state and territory, most commonly by midwives. The data are collated by the relevant state or territory health department and a standard de-identified extract is provided to the AIHW on an annual basis to form the NPDC.
What is included in the NPDC? The NPDC includes data elements that are mandatory for national reporting (29 data elements in 2013 that form the Perinatal National Minimum Data Set) as well as additional voluntary data items. Which births are counted? The NPDC includes both live and still births where gestational age is at least 20 weeks or birthweight is at least 400 grams, except in Western Australia, where births are included if gestational age is at least 20 weeks, or if gestation is unknown, birthweight is at least 400 grams. See Section 5 for more information about the NPDC.
1 At a glance
- Babies at a glance
- Mothers at a glance
2 Mothers
- Antenatal care
- Smoking during pregnancy
- Maternal health
- Place of birth
- Onset of labour
- Method of birth
- Pain relief during labour and operative delivery
- Multiple pregnancies
3 Babies
- Gestational age
- Birthweight
- Low birthweight
- Baby presentation and method of birth
- Apgar scores
- Resuscitation
- Hospital births and length of stay
- Admission to special care nurseries and neonatal intensive care units
- Perinatal deaths
4 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and their babies
- Indigenous mothers
- Babies of Indigenous mothers
5 About the National Perinatal Data Collection
Appendixes:
Appendix A to C (288KB PDF)
Appendix A: Perinatal National Minimum Data Set items
Appendix B: State and territory perinatal data collections
Appendix C: Data quality, methods and interpretation
End matter: Glossary; Abbreviations; References; Acknowledgments