Australia's mothers and babies 2002

Australia’s Mothers and Babies 2002 is the twelfth report providing information on births in Australia from perinatal data collections for each state and territory. The report examines demographic and pregnancy factors of mothers and the characteristics and outcomes of their babies.

This edition includes a chapter on summary health measures derived from the National Perinatal Data Collection, and special chapters on births occurring at home and in birth centres, and on assisted reproductive technology births in Australia in 2002.

The report will be particularly useful to consumers of perinatal health care services, perinatal health service planners, academics, students, and those providing services or conducting research in reproductive and perinatal health.

Highlights

• In 2002, 255,095 babies born to 250,758 mothers were notified to perinatal data collections in the states and territories.
• The average age of all mothers in 2002 was 29.4 years, and 27.6 years for those having their first baby, continuing the upward trend seen in maternal age in recent years.
• In 2002, 27.0% of deliveries were by caesarean section. State and territory caesarean section rates ranged from 21.4% to 29.5%. Over the last 10 years, instrumental deliveries have decreased and caesarean sections have increased. Caesarean section rates were higher among older mothers and those admitted to private hospitals.
• Of all mothers giving birth in 2002, 12.8% had previously had a caesarean section. Mothers with a history of caesarean section were likely to have another caesarean section in 2002 (79.4%), while 16.6% had a spontaneous vaginal delivery, and 3.7% had an assisted vaginal delivery.
• Of mothers having an operative delivery (caesarean section, forceps or vacuum extraction) in 2002, at least 38.6% had an epidural or caudal anaesthetic administered, and at least 40.0% had a spinal anaesthetic. A general anaesthetic was administered for 9.3% of operative deliveries. Proportions of mothers having spinal and general anaesthetics were higher for caesarean section deliveries than for assisted vaginal deliveries.
• There were 8,822 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander mothers, representing 3.6% of all mothers in Australia in 2002. Over one-third (38.4%) of births in the Northern Territory were to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander mothers.
• Caesarean section deliveries occurred in 21.9% of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander mothers in 2002, compared with 27.4% of other mothers. The proportion of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander mothers who had previously had a caesarean section was 14.4%, compared with 12.8% for other mothers.
• The proportion of mothers who were born in a country other than Australia was 22.1% in 2002.
• Multiple pregnancies accounted for 1.7% of all confinements and included 4,178 twin pregnancies and 81 triplet or higher order pregnancies.

• Of all births in Australia in 2002, 20,071 (7.9%) were preterm (less than 37 weeks gestation).
• Low birthweight (less than 2,500 grams) occurred in 16,230 (6.4%) liveborn babies in 2002. The proportion of liveborn babies of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander mothers that were low birthweight was 12.9% compared with 6.2% of babies of other mothers.
• The median length of stay in hospital for babies born in hospital was 4.0 days in 2002. Two-thirds of babies stayed in hospital for less than 5 days.

• In 2002, there were 637 planned homebirths reported, representing 0.3% of all confinements. The mean age of mothers giving birth at home was 31.4 years. Liveborn babies born at home had a mean birthweight of 3,631 grams.
• There were 5,379 confinements in birth centres in 2002, representing 2.1% of all confinements. The mean age of mothers giving birth in birth centres was 29.7 years. Liveborn babies born in birth centres had a mean birthweight of 3,564 grams.
• Of mothers giving birth at home, 29.7% were aged 35 years or older, compared with 18.3% of mothers giving birth in birth centres.
• Of babies born in 2002, 2.3% were following the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART). These babies had a lower average birthweight compared with all Australian babies, with 20.9% of pregnancies being preterm. Almost half of the ART confinements were delivered by caesarean section (49.4%). Mothers of babies born following ART were, on average, 4.3 years older than all Australian mothers, with a mean age of 33.7 years.
• In 2002, 5,383 babies were admitted to level III neonatal intensive care units in Australia. Of these babies, 49.0% had a gestational age of less than 32 weeks and 41.2% had a birthweight of less than 1,500 grams.
• In 2002, using state and territory perinatal data, the fetal death rate was 6.7 per 1,000 births; the neonatal death rate was 3.1 per 1,000 live births; and the perinatal death rate was 9.8 per 1,000 births.