Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are born healthy and strong.

By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies with a healthy birthweight to 91%.

The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies with a healthy birthweight.

The measure is defined as:

Numerator – number of live born singleton Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies who weighed between 2,500 and 4,499 grams at birth

Denominator – total number of live born singleton Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies

and is presented as a percentage.

National Agreement on Closing the Gap July 2020

6 March 2024

Target

A high or increasing proportion is desirable.

Name: AIHW National Perinatal Data Collection (NPDC)

Frequency: Annual (2017 data for state and territory revised (previously np) and a small number of other cells revised throughout in the March 2023 dashboard update)

Documentation (links): https://www.aihw.gov.au/about-our-data/our-data-collections/national-perinatal-data-collection

Provider name: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)

Provider area: Perinatal

2017

2021

2031

State and territory and Australia, by birthweight range, by Indigenous status of the baby.

State and territory and Australia, by birthweight range, by Indigenous status of the baby, by sex of the baby.

State and territory and Australia, by birthweight range, by Indigenous status of the baby, by remoteness area.

State and territory and Australia, by birthweight range, by Indigenous status of the baby, by Index of Relative Socio‑economic Disadvantage (IRSD) quintile.

Numerator divided by Denominator multiplied by 100.

Counting rules

Data relate to live births. Births both less than 20 weeks gestation and less than 400 grams birthweight are not included in the NPCD.

Healthy birthweight is defined as babies who weighed between 2,500 and 4,499 grams at birth; low birthweight (400 grams to less than 2,500 grams).

The data is by geographic area of usual residence of the mother.

Indigenous status is of the baby.

Includes (denominator):

• Births where the birthweight of the baby was not stated.

Excludes (both numerator and denominator):

• births where the Indigenous status of the baby was not stated. (Data on the number of births where the Indigenous status was not stated is provided for context.)
• multiple births
• births of less than 20 weeks of gestation
• Australian non‑residents, residents of external territories and records where state/territory of residence was not stated.

Disaggregations:

Sex relates to biological primary sexual characteristics. Births classified as ‘indeterminate/not stated’ are excluded from the analysis by sex.

Remoteness area is classified according to the ABS 2016 Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) using SA2 as the building block. Births to mothers whose usual residence is categorised as ‘migratory’ are excluded from the analysis by remoteness. Data exclude babies where the information on the usual residence of the mother was not sufficient to identify her geographic area and assign a remoteness area.

Socio‑economic status of the locality is classified according to the Socio‑economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA): Index of Relative Socio‑economic Disadvantage (IRSD), 2016 using SA2 as the building block. Data are reported by IRSD quintile that are determined at the Australian level. Data excludes babies where the information on the usual residence of the mother was not sufficient to identify her geographic area and assign a socio‑economic status of the locality.

Supporting calculations

Variability bands (provided for proportions). See the How to interpret data page for further information.

In the NPDC, Indigenous status is a measure of whether a person identifies as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin. All jurisdictions have a data item to record Indigenous status of the mother and Indigenous status of the baby on their perinatal form, although there are some differences among the jurisdictions.

Birthweight data on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies born to mothers residing in the Australian Capital Territory should be viewed with caution as they are based on small numbers of births. Please refer to the How to interpret the data page for more information.

The AIHW does not provide data for proportions based on denominators of less than 100 for reliability reasons (mostly births with Indigenous status not stated). Proportions based on numerators of less than five are also not provided (np), with the exception of ‘not stated’ categories. Consequential suppression (np) has been applied to prevent back‑calculation of small numbers. However, relevant data are included in the calculation for Australian totals.

Additional disaggregations required for future reporting:

• disability.