Pre-term Birth Statistics
NURTURE INFORMATION HUB
A staggering 1 in 10 babies in Australia are born premature (before 37 weeks gestation) and approximately 15% of all babies require some form of extra care at birth.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s Australia’s Mothers and Babies report provides up-to-date information on women who have given birth in Australia and the characteristics and outcomes of their babies. According to the latest annual report, in a 12 month period 307,844 women gave birth to 312,548 babies in Australia and of the babies born:
- Pre-term birth (less than 37 completed weeks of gestation) occurred for 8.6% of all mothers.
- The mean gestational age for all preterm births was 33.3 weeks.
- Pre-term babies were more likely to be admitted to an SCN or NICU (72%) than babies delivered at term (10%) or post-term (13%).
- In 2014, 6.4% (19,833) of liveborn babies were of low birthweight.
Of these babies: - 16% or 3,150 were of very low birthweight (less than 1,500 grams) and
- 7% or 1,396 were extremely low birthweight (less than 1,000 grams).
- 15% (42,422) of live born babies were admitted to a SCN or NICU
- Babies born in multiple births were vastly more likely to be born pre-term—around 63% of twins and all other multiples (triplets and higher) were born pre-term in 2014. These rates compared with 7% of singleton babies.
- One in five (20.0%) babies required some form of resuscitation at birth. Almost half (43%) of those requiring resuscitation received suction or oxygen therapy, and almost 2 in 5 (38%) received ventilatory assistance by intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) through a bag and mask or via endotracheal intubation. Around 2% of babies who received resuscitation required external cardiac massage and ventilation.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2016. Australia’s mothers and babies 2014—in brief. Perinatal statistics series no. 32. Cat no. PER 87. Canberra: AIHW.
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Disclaimer: This publication by Miracle Babies Foundation is intended solely for general education and assistance and it is it is not medical advice or a healthcare recommendation. It should not be used for the purpose of medical diagnosis or treatment for any individual condition. This publication has been developed by our Parent Advisory Team (all who are parents of premature and sick babies) and has been reviewed and approved by a Clinical Advisory Team. This publication is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Miracle Babies Foundation recommends that professional medical advice and services be sought out from a qualified healthcare provider familiar with your personal circumstances.To the extent permitted by law, Miracle Babies Foundation excludes and disclaims any liability of any kind (directly or indirectly arising) to any reader of this publication who acts or does not act in reliance wholly or partly on the content of this general publication. If you would like to provide any feedback on the information please email [email protected].
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