Australia’s mothers and babies 2002 The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare is Australia’s national health and welfare statistics and information agency. The Institute’s mission is better health and wellbeing for Australians through better health and welfare statistics and information. The AIHW National Perinatal Statistics Unit (NPSU) is a collaborative unit of the AIHW, and was established in 1979. The NPSU is a formally affiliated institution of the University of New South Wales and is linked to the Faculty of Medicine, School of Women’s and Children’s Health. The NPSU is located at the Sydney Children’s Hospital. The NPSU aims to improve the health of Australian mothers and babies by monitoring reproductive and perinatal health. The NPSU is also involved in perinatal data development activities and epidemiological research. The NPSU maintains national data collections on perinatal health, maternal deaths, birth anomalies and assisted conception. PERINATAL STATISTICS SERIES Number 15 Australia’s mothers and babies 2002 Paula J Laws Elizabeth A Sullivan December 2004 AIHW National Perinatal Statistics Unit Sydney AIHW cat. no. PER 28 © Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2004 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced without prior written permission from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be directed to the Head, Media and Publishing, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601. This publication is part of the AIHW National Perinatal Statistics Unit’s Perinatal Statistics Series. A complete list of the Unit’s publications is available from the Publications Unit, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601, or via the Institute’s web site (http://www.aihw.gov.au). ISSN 1321-8336 ISBN 1 74024 437 0 Suggested citation Laws PJ & Sullivan EA 2004. Australia’s mothers and babies 2002. AIHW Cat. No. PER 28. Sydney: AIHW National Perinatal Statistics Unit (Perinatal Statistics Series No. 15). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Board Chair Hon. Peter Collins, AM, QC Director Dr Richard Madden Published by the AIHW National Perinatal Statistics Unit Contents List of tables .......................................................................................................................................vii List of figures ........................................................................................................................................x Preface................................................................................................................................................... xi Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................................xii Highlights ..........................................................................................................................................xiii 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................1 Purpose of this report....................................................................................................................1 Structure of this report..................................................................................................................1 The Perinatal National Minimum Data Set................................................................................2 The National Perinatal Data Development Committee ...........................................................3 Data sources....................................................................................................................................3 Criteria for inclusion in the NPDC..............................................................................................5 Data quality ....................................................................................................................................6 Data presentation...........................................................................................................................7 2 Summary measures of perinatal health....................................................................................8 3 Mothers...........................................................................................................................................9 Confinements and births ..............................................................................................................9 Place of birth.................................................................................................................................10 Size of maternity unit..................................................................................................................11 Maternal age.................................................................................................................................12 Maternal parity ............................................................................................................................13 Smoking during pregnancy........................................................................................................15 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and their babies...........................................16 Maternal country of birth ...........................................................................................................18 Hospital sector..............................................................................................................................20 Duration of pregnancy................................................................................................................21 Multiple pregnancy .....................................................................................................................23 Onset of labour.............................................................................................................................24 Anaesthetic for operative deliveries .........................................................................................26 Presentation at birth ....................................................................................................................28 v Method of birth ............................................................................................................................29 Previous births by caesarean section ........................................................................................36 Perineal status after vaginal delivery........................................................................................38 Length of stay in hospital ...........................................................................................................39 Mode of separation from hospital.............................................................................................42 Terminations.................................................................................................................................43 4 Babies............................................................................................................................................44 Birth status....................................................................................................................................44 Sex ................................................................................................................................................45 Gestational age.............................................................................................................................46 Birthweight ...................................................................................................................................48 Method of birth ............................................................................................................................52 Apgar scores .................................................................................................................................53 Resuscitation at birth...................................................................................................................54 Length of stay in hospital of birth .............................................................................................55 Mode of separation from hospital.............................................................................................57 5 Special topic: Homebirths and birth centre births...............................................................58 6 Special topic: Assisted reproductive technology births ......................................................61 7 Babies in level III neonatal intensive care units...................................................................64 8 Perinatal mortality......................................................................................................................67 Definitions.....................................................................................................................................67 Issues .............................................................................................................................................68 ABS data........................................................................................................................................69