Maternal country of birth
A woman’s cultural and linguistic background may influence their experience of pregnancy and maternity care in Australia (Department of Health and Aged Care 2025). Studies of women from migrant and refugee backgrounds accessing maternity care in Australia found that cultural and health belief differences, language barriers, discrimination and accessibility issues contributed to negative experiences of care. Access to appropriate interpreters, services targeted to specific population groups and continuity of carer were positive factors (Billet et al. 2022).
Maternal country of birth is collected in the NPDC and is a useful starting point for providing insights into the characteristics of, and outcomes for, different groups of women. It is, however, only one aspect of cultural and linguistic diversity. Additional data is needed to better understand the health of culturally and linguistically diverse mothers and their babies.
Between 2012 and 2023, the proportion of mothers born in Australia has decreased (from 69% in 2012 to 65% in 2023).
Some women born in another country can have differences in characteristics and outcomes when compared with women born in Australia (ALEC 2025; Billet et al. 2022). Select Australian studies have found that:
- more women from non-English speaking backgrounds presented for antenatal care after their first trimester in comparison to women born in Australia (Billet et al. 2022)
- women from South Asian countries were at greater risk of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (Brown et al. 2018)
- women from South East Asia, South Asia and Central Asia showed higher increases in the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) compared to women born in Australia (Takele et al. 2025)
- women from the Americas, North Africa, North East Africa, the Middle East, Southern Central Asia, South East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa were more likely to give birth to a baby who was small for their gestational age in comparison to women born in Australia (Grundy et al. 2021)
- Asian-born women with a body mass index of ≥40 were more likely to birth a large for gestational age infant than Australian-born women with a body mass index of ≥40 (Knight-Agarwal et al. 2021).
Meaningful consideration of the mother's country of birth during planning and delivery of maternity care will likely improve outcomes (Billet et al. 2022; Berman et al. 2020; Davies-Tuck et al. 2017).
Figure 1 presents data on maternal country of birth for 2023. Hover over or select a country on the map or bar chart to see the number and proportion of mothers who were born in each country.
Figure 1: Proportion of women who gave birth, by maternal country of birth
Map of the proportion of women who gave birth by their country of birth. After Australia the most common country of birth was India.
In 2023, around 2 in 3 (65%) mothers were born in Australia. After Australia, the most common maternal countries of birth were India (5.9%), New Zealand (2.4%), China (2.3%) and the United Kingdom (2.2%).
Figure 2 presents trend data on maternal country of birth, by selected maternal characteristics, between 2012 and 2023. Select the ‘Current data’ button to see data for 2023.
Figure 2: Proportion of women who gave birth, by maternal country of birth and selected topic
Bar chart shows maternal country of birth by selected maternal characteristics, between 2012 and 2023.
In 2023, some maternal characteristics differed based on maternal country of birth. Compared with all mothers who gave birth in Australia, mothers born in:
- Australia (2.3%) were more likely to be aged under 20 (compared with 1.6% of the total population of women who gave birth in Australia)
- The Philippines (8.9%) and the United Kingdom (8.4%) were more likely to be aged 40 and over (compared with 5.2%)
- Nepal (63%) were more likely to be first time mothers (compared with 44%)
- New Zealand (7.8%) were more likely to have a parity of four or more (compared with 3.1%)
- China (96%) and Vietnam (93%) were more likely to live in Major cities (compared with 73%)
- Australia (1.2%) were more likely to live in Very remote areas (compared with 0.9%)
- China (9%) and Vietnam (7%) were more likely to be underweight (compared with 2.8%)
- New Zealand (40%) and Australia (27%) were more likely to be obese (compared with 23%)
- China (58%) and South Africa (42%) were more likely to give birth in a private hospital (compared with 25%).
For other maternal characteristics, and outcomes for mothers and babies by maternal country of birth see the following sections:
For more information on:
- maternal country of birth by state and territory, see National Perinatal Data Collection annual update data table 2.7
- maternal country of birth by selected maternal characteristics, see National Perinatal Data Collection annual update data visualisations table 1.5.
Berman Y, Ibiebele I, Patterson JA, Randall D, Ford JB, Nippita T, Morris JM, Davies-Tuck ML and Torvaldsen S (2020) ‘Rates of stillbirth by maternal region of birth and gestational age in New South Wales, Australia 2004-2015’, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 60(3):425–432, doi:10.1111/ajo.13085.
Billet H, Corona MV and Bohren MA (2022) ‘Women from migrant and refugee backgrounds’ perceptions and experiences of the continuum of maternity care in Australia: A qualitative evidence synthesis’, Women and Birth, 35(4):327–339, doi:10.1016/j.wombi.2021.08.005.
Brown J, Kapurubandara S, Gibbs E and King J (2018) ‘The Great Divide: Country of birth as a risk factor for obstetric anal sphincter injuries’, ANZJOG, 58(1):79–85, doi:10.1111/ajo.12672.
Davies-Tuck ML, Davey MA and Wallace EM (2017) ‘Maternal region of birth and stillbirth in Victoria, Australia 2000-2011: a retrospective cohort study of Victorian perinatal data’, PLOS One, 12(6):e0178727, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0178727.
Department of Health and Aged Care (2025) Australian pregnancy care guidelines, version 7, Department of Health and Aged Care, Australian Government, accessed 26 June 2025.
Grundy S, Lee P, Small K and Ahmed F (2021) ‘Maternal region of origin and Small for gestational age: a cross-sectional analysis of Victorian perinatal data’, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 21:409, doi:10.1186/s12884-021-03864-9.
Knight-Agarwal CR, Jani R, Foraih MA, Eckley D, Lui, CKW, Somerset S, Davis D and Takito MY (2021) ‘Maternal body mass index and country of birth in relation to the adverse outcomes of large for gestational age and gestational diabetes mellitus in a retrospective cohort of Australian pregnant women’, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 21:649, doi:10.1186/s12884-021-04125-5.
Takele WW, Dalli LL, Lim S and Boyle JA (2025) ‘National, state and territory trends in gestational diabetes mellitus in Australia, 2016-2021: Differences by state/territory and country of birth’, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 49(1):100202, doi:10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100202.