Data sources

National Perinatal Data Collection

The National Perinatal Data Collection (NPDC) began in 1991 and is a national population-based cross-sectional collection of data on pregnancy and childbirth. The NPDC collects national information on the pregnancy and childbirth of mothers, and the characteristics and outcomes of their babies. A standard de-identified extract is provided from states and territories to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) on an annual basis to form the NPDC.

Detailed information on completeness, accuracy and other aspects of data quality for the NPDC is in the data quality statement.

A standardised extract of electronic data from each state and territory collection is provided to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) annually. Records received from states and territories are anonymous: that is, they do not include any names or addresses, but do include a unique set of identification numbers so that the source record can be identified. Data are checked for completeness, validity and logical errors before inclusion in the national collection.

National Maternal Mortality Data Collection

The National Maternal Mortality Data Collection (NMMDC) is a population-based cross-sectional collection of data on the deaths of women reported to have died while pregnant or within 42 days of the end of pregnancy. Data are provided by the states and territories.

Due to its health and privacy legislation, only limited summary data on maternal deaths from 2006–2020 were supplied by Western Australia. As these data provided are already aggregated, rather than provided by case, they cannot be included in the NMMDC but are included in analysis where possible.

Detailed information on completeness, accuracy and other aspects of data quality for the NMMDC is in the data quality statement.

National Perinatal Mortality Data Collection

The National Perinatal Mortality Data Collection (NPMDC) is a population-based cross-sectional collection of data regarding the deaths of babies in hospitals and in the community, and includes all neonatal deaths and stillbirths of a baby at least 20 weeks’ gestation or at least 400 grams birthweight, during pregnancy, birth or within 28 days of birth.

The NPMDC commenced with the 2013 birth cohort and builds on information collected in the NPDC. Common identifier fields in the NPDC and NPMDC allow demographic information regarding perinatal death records in the NPMDC to be retrieved from the NPDC for reporting.

There are 33 voluntary data items collected in the NPMDC which are supplied by state and territory health authorities using a standard de-identified extract to the AIHW on an annual basis. Data specifications supplied to jurisdictions for collection are included in the related data tables.

Detailed information on completeness, accuracy, and other aspects of data quality for the NPMDC is in the data quality statement.

For definitions related to the data sources see Glossary.