Preterm Birth in First Nations Populations
Addressing Health Inequities: Reducing Preterm Births Among First Nations Australians
Health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians emerge early in life. One major concern is the higher rate of preterm births among First Nations mothers, which is approximately 1.7 times higher than that of non-Indigenous mothers (13% compared to 8%).
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, preterm babies born to First Nations mothers face an 8% higher risk of death compared to babies born at full term.
What Contributes to Premature Birth?
Several factors are known to increase the risk of preterm birth, including:
- Limited or no access to antenatal care
- Living in remote or very remote areas
- Stress linked to social and economic disadvantage
- Infections during pregnancy
- Low maternal body mass index (BMI)
Women in remote regions often face significant challenges accessing timely and culturally appropriate healthcare, which contributes to poorer overall health outcomes and higher rates of preterm birth.
First Nations Australians are more likely to experience health inequities such as lower life expectancy (61 years in 2020, compared to 83.2 years for non-Indigenous Australians) and are more likely to live in rural or remote areas. Broader social determinants of health—including housing quality, education, income, and food security—also play a role in driving these health outcomes and are reflected in the higher incidence of premature birth.
What Can Be Done?
Research shows that breaking down barriers to healthcare and improving access to culturally safe, high-quality care close to home is key to improving outcomes.
One successful example is the Birthing in Our Community program, based at Mater Mothers’ Hospital in Brisbane, Queensland. This initiative, co-designed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, delivers culturally tailored maternity care in community settings. Since its launch in 2013, the program has nearly halved the rate of preterm births among participating Indigenous mothers.
Improving health outcomes for First Nations babies and mothers begins with ensuring accessible, culturally responsive care—from pregnancy through to early childhood and beyond.
The Alliance’s Top End Lead, Dr Kiarna Brown, is a First Nations obstetrician and gynaecologist living and working on Larrakia Country in the Northern Territory. Hear what Kiarna believes the key elements are to Closing the Gap in preterm birth outcomes for First Nations women here.
For further reading and detailed source information, see the links below.
