Overview

A newborn baby's health can be a key determinant of their health and wellbeing throughout life. Factors such as physical health, social wellbeing and exposure to harmful behaviours can influence health outcomes for both mothers and babies.

More reports and statistics on mothers & babies can be found under Children & youth and Men & women.

Latest findings

Around 298,600 women gave birth to more than 303,000 babies in 2018 74% of mothers received antenatal care in the first trimester in 2018 compared with 63% in 2010 1 in 3 mothers had a caesarean section in 2018 44% of Indigenous mothers smoked during pregnancy in 2018 compared with 52% in 2009 In 2018, 298,630 women gave birth to 303,029 babies 13% of women who gave birth in 2018 had gestational diabetes Mothers aged 40 and over almost 3 times as likely to have a caesarean section as mothers aged under 20 (54% and 20%) 74% of mothers received antenatal care in the first trimester in 2018 compared with 63% in 2010 6.7% of liveborn babies were low birthweight in 2018 13% of women who gave birth in 2018 had gestational diabetes 6.7% of liveborn babies were low birthweight in 2018 44% of Indigenous mothers smoked during pregnancy in 2018 compared with 52% in 2009

Latest reports

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Highlights

30.7 yearsis the average age of women who gave birth
6 per 100,000was the maternal mortality ratio in 2017
Almost 1 in 100pregnancies at or beyond 20 weeks gestation ends with the death of a baby
1 in 8mothers had a second birth vaginally after having their first birth by caesarean section
35% of mothers delivered by caesarean section in 2018 compared with 31% in 2008
44%44% of Indigenous mothers smoked during pregnancy in 2018, a decrease from 52% in 2009.
Congenital anomaliesare the most common cause of perinatal death
66%66% of Indigenous mothers attended an antenatal visit in the first trimester in 2018 compared with 50% in 2012.