Four key maternal and child health indicators have been updated in this release — smoking during pregnancy, child and infant mortality, low birthweight babies, and antenatal visits in the first trimester of pregnancy. Indicators are reported nationally, by Primary Health Network (PHN) areas and by smaller local areas.

  • Cat. no: HPF 38
Findings from this report:

  • The proportion of women who reported smoking during pregnancy was 10.4%

  • More than 6 in 10 (65%) mothers attended at least one antenatal visit in the first trimester of pregnancy.

  • Regional PHN areas had an infant and young child mortality rate 1.3 times the rate of metropolitan PHN areas

  • The proportion of low birthweight babies was 5.0% with little difference between metropolitan and regional PHN areas