Rise in rate of preterm and low-birthweight babies being born, but more also surviving

MORE babies are being born preterm and with a low birthweight, but more are also surviving — and there are fewer teen mums, data shows.

TEEN births are down, the mean age of new mums remains up and more preterm bubs are being born — and surviving.

New data from SA Health shows the changing face of motherhood compared with 1981 when data began being collected, with teen births plummeting and first-time mums older than 35 soaring from 1.2 per cent of births in 1981 to 12.5 per cent in 2015.

The latest Pregnancy Outcomes in South Australia report shows in 2015 there were 20,154 births, including 20 per cent to women over 35 compared with 4.6 per cent in 1981.

Of all births, 9.6 per cent were preterm, compared with 5.5 per cent in 1981.

Emma Andrewartha and her son Bentley Willis, 2. Bentley was born premature with a low birthweight but is fit and healthy now. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

The number of low birthweight babies, born weighing less than 2500 grams, has also increased and now accounts for 7.6 per cent of all births, compared with 5 per cent nationally.

Fortunately the survival rate for premature babies is improving with the data showing there were 35 neonatal deaths, at a mortality rate of 1.7 per 1000 live births, one of the lowest in the world.

Separate research by the University of Adelaide shows rate of clinician-initiated preterm delivery increased from 1.6 per cent in 1986 to 3.2 per cent in 2014.

Health Minister Peter Malinauskas said the data shows South Australia is one of the safest places to give birth.

“The Government is committed to providing the best possible services for the state’s littlest patients and I would like to thank the dedicated specialist medical teams that care for them,” he said.

The figures show a general decline in the number teenage women giving birth, from 7.8 per cent in 1981 to 2.8 per cent in 2015.

The mean age among women giving birth was 30.1 years, which has increased from 26.55 years in 1981 and peaked in 2012 at 30.21 years.

Currency Creek mother Emma Andrewartha gave birth to her first child, son Bentley, in 2015. He was preterm with a low birthweight and is “perfect” she said.

Bentley’s arrival was not clinician-initiated and was a complete surprise. “He arrived at just 24 weeks weighing 790g,” Ms Andrewartha said.

“I was about an hour away from home at work as a personal trainer and something did not feel quite right so I did not want to drive home — I went to Flinders Medical Centre and an obstetrician told me I was not going anywhere without an ultrasound.

“Then my waters broke and I was rushed in for a caesarean. Bentley was in hospital for four months, he came home three days before his due date and he is just perfect. I’m pregnant with our second child now and am taking it extra carefully.”