Low birthweight and mortality in Australian Aboriginal babies at the Royal Darwin Hospital: a 15 year study

A retrospective analysis was made of all births at the Royal Darwin Hospital from 1 January 1969 to 31 December 1983. The births were divided into weight categories and racial groups (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal). The study showed that there was a 23.2% incidence of low birthweight (LBW) babies (less than 2500 g) in Aboriginals compared with an incidence of 6.4% in non-Aboriginals. It was found that Aboriginals had a better chance of surviving the neonatal periods than non-Aboriginals of the same birthweight for all birthweights up to 2500 g. It is suggested that this occurred because most LBW Aboriginals were more mature than their birthweight would have suggested. The perinatal and neonatal mortality, however, remains high in the Aboriginal babies and this can also be attributed to the high incidence of LBW babies in this group, and perhaps to the limited use of antenatal care by the Aboriginal mothers.