National core maternity indicators
Publication
Release Date:
Topic: Mothers & babies
Citation
AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2013) National core maternity indicators, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 24 June 2026.
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This is the first report of ten national core maternity indicators for monitoring the quality of maternity care in Australia. National rates have decreased for smoking in pregnancy, episiotomy among women having their first baby and giving birth vaginally and the proportion of babies born weighing less than 2,750 grams at or after 40 weeks. However for some indicators, including induction of labour, caesarean section and instrumental vaginal birth, rates have increased and point to areas for possible further attention.
- ISBN: 978-1-74249-398-5
- Cat. no: PER 58
- Pages: 56
Findings from this report:
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80% of women attended antenatal care during the first trimester
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1.8% of babies were of low birthweight (less than 2,500 grams)
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15.1% of women giving birth had an episiotomy in 2009, a decrease from 16.2% in 2004
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14.5% of women smoked in pregnancy in 2009, a decrease from 16.7% in 2004