IMPROVING PREGNANCY and BIRTH OUTCOMES among ABORIGINAL and TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER WOMEN through REDUCTIONS in PRETERM BIRTH

Tetteh Dugbaza, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)
Fadwa M. Al-Yaman, Australian Institute of Heath and Welfare
Chun Oberst, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Despite overall improvements in child mortality over the last two decades among Australian babies, disparities remain between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) and non-Indigenous babies in the proportion of low birthweight babies, stillbirths and neonatal deaths. Preterm birth was the key risk factor in all three adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Our preliminary analysis shows that during 2018–2022, 12% of Indigenous babies were born preterm compared to 8% of non-Indigenous babies. Indigenous babies born preterm were 30 times as likely to be of low birthweight, eight times as likely to be stillbirths and 7 times as likely to experience neonatal death as those not born preterm. Reducing preterm birth is therefore a key strategy to reducing the incidence of other adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes among Indigenous babies. Our analysis identified a strong association between preterm birth and several maternal demographic and modifiable health risk factors, including maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, pre-existing diabetes, chronic hypertension, smoking during pregnancy and antenatal care. These risk factors explain about 50% of preterm birth among Indigenous women. Further analysis is continuing into the role of distal factors, including Indigeneity, socioeconomic status and geographical location in the occurrence of preterm birth.

Keywords: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, The Demography of Indigenous Populations

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