Survival rates improve for babies born prematurely

More babies born prematurely are surviving, and there are fewer stillbirths and newborn deaths among indigenous mothers.

More babies born prematurely are surviving, and there are fewer stillbirths and newborn deaths among indigenous mothers, according to a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

However, overall rates of peri-natal death have remained relatively constant since 1997 — every day in Australia, roughly six ­babies are stillborn and another two die in the neonatal period — prompting calls for more research and better health and education campaigns. The AIHW’s Fadwa Al-Yaman said there were some positive trends, such as the rate of stillbirths occurring in the third trimester declining from 3.4 to 2.1 per 1000 births between 1997 and 2016. The rate of babies born in the third trimester but dying within the first month also declined from 1.4 per 1000 live births to 0.8 over the same period.

“Between 2005 and 2016, the rate of stillbirth among babies born to indigenous women fell from 11.8 to 10.5 per 1000 births,” Dr Al-Yaman said. “Whilst the rates of peri-natal death of babies born to indigenous women decreased, the rate was still higher compared to ­babies of non-indigenous women.”

Stillbirth Foundation Australia chief executive Kate Lynch said up to a third of stillbirths were preventable. “If this report is not a call to arms for governments, policymakers and the medical profession, I don’t know what is,” Ms Lynch said.

Using World Health Organisation definitions, the rate of neonatal deaths in Australia is 0.8 per 1000 live births. By comparison, worldwide there are estimated to be 19 deaths, ranging from three in combined high-income countries to 28 in southern Asia and 29 in sub-Saharan Africa.