More Australian Moms Seeking Prenatal Care Than Ever

According to recent statistics and extended patterns, an increasing number of pregnant women are receiving pre-natal care, offering insight into the well-being and delivery results for both mothers and infants across Australia.

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According to an AIHW representative, Louise Catanzariti, in 2023, 79% of women who had children received early prenatal care during the first trimester—up from 61% ten years earlier in 2013.

Published today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), the report "Mothers and Babies in Australia" also illustrates that the average age of women giving birth has risen over time.

"According to our most recent information, mothers are still having children at an older age, as the average age of women giving birth has consistently risen from 28.9 years in 1998 to 31.3 years in 2023," Catanzariti stated.

The percentage of women who gave birth at age 35 or older rose from 23% in 2010 to 28% in 2023, whereas those younger than 25 dropped from 18% to 11%." "Increased number of women having children at 35 years old and above went up from 23% back in 2010 to reach 28% in 2023, with the share for individuals below 25 decreasing from 18% down to 11%." "From 2010 through 2023, more females had babies when they were 35 or older—rising from 23% to 28%, while young mothers under 25 saw their numbers fall from 18% to just 11%." "The rate of female births among ages 35+ climbed from 23% in 2010 to 28% in 2023, contrasted against an overall decline in teenage childbirths where less than 25-year-olds fell from 18% to 11%." "Women delivering infants after turning 35 have grown as a portion—from 23% in 2010 to 28% today—with fewer moms under 25 now accounting for only 11% compared to earlier 18%.

In 2023, 285,305 infants were born, with a fertility rate of 52 births for every 1,000 women. This marks the smallest number recorded since 1998, when AIHW began tracking this data, following a consistent decline starting from 2007, when the rate stood at 66 per 1,000 women.

In 2023, nearly every birth in Australia occurred within a hospital setting (97%). Out of these, three out of four mothers delivered in a public hospital. A minor portion of deliveries happened in birthing centers (1.5%), at home (0.7%), or in alternative locations (0.7%).

"The information we gather and share, which comes from both government and private hospitals along with various other caregivers during childbirth throughout the nation, offers us understanding about the results of births for mothers and infants, such as how elements like mother’s age, type of delivery, and baby weight have evolved over time," Catanzariti stated.

Pregnancy and birth

The percentage of women delivering via Cesarean section increased annually between 2004 (29%) and 2023 (41%).

The document includes fresh information from Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia regarding the kinds of maternal healthcare services women access.

The majority of women who delivered babies opted for public hospital childbirth services, which accounted for 45% of all cases.

Approximately 1 out of every 9 women (11%) received consistent care from the same midwife during their entire pregnancy via a midwifery group practice approach, whereas 24% experienced continuous provider support through different methods, primarily involving private obstetricians.

Health of babies

Data additionally reveal information about an infant following delivery, such as gestational age, weight at birth, Apgar score five minutes post-birth, need for resuscitation, duration of hospitalization for the newborn, and whether they were admitted to specialized nursery units or neonatal intensive care facilities in 2023.

The average length of pregnancy, measured in full weeks, was 39 weeks, remaining consistent since 2004.

Nearly 91% of infants in Australia were delivered at term, which spans from 37 to 41 weeks. Of these, 31% arrived during early term—specifically at 37 or 38 weeks—and 60% were born at full term, ranging between 39 and 41 weeks.

"Less than one out of ten infants (8.4%) was born prematurely, with most occurring between 32 and 36 full weeks of gestation," Catanzariti stated.

Over 9 out of 10 (92%) newborns had a typical birth weight. This percentage remained consistent from 2010 onward, fluctuating between 92% in 2010 and 93% in 2021.

Real-life situations lie behind the statistics, such as those experienced by families dealing with challenging or upsetting results. These stories are highly individual and frequently have long-term effects.

As per information from the National Perinatal Data Collection (NPDC), the perinatal death rate in 2023 stood at 11.0 fatalities for every 1,000 deliveries. Out of these cases, four out of five resulted in stillbirths (8.7 deaths per 1,000 births), with the remaining being newborn deaths (2.3 deaths per 1,000 live births).

The incidence of newborn deaths has stayed fairly consistent over the past few years, fluctuating from 2.2 to 2.9 for every 1,000 live births since 2010.

In 2023, the stillbirth rate stood at 8.7 per 1,000 births, reflecting an ongoing rise seen in previous years. Possible reasons for this upward trend could involve an actual rise in stillbirth cases, along with legal modifications that have improved awareness of perinatal losses and increased availability of procedures within the NPDC framework.

The AIHW is collaborating with different regions to examine these patterns and plans to carry out additional research and evaluation when more comprehensive information from the National Perinatal Mortality Data Collection (NPMDC) becomes accessible later this year.

More information: Mothers and infants of Australia (2025) www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mother … abies/contents/about

Supplied by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

This narrative first appeared on Medical Xpress .