Make Indigenous Poverty History Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

Target 8: Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio

• Indicator 16: Maternal mortality ratio 
  
  
• Indicator 17: Reduce incidence of risk factors for poor perinatal and child health outcomes.
  

Indigenous Mothers (ABS AIHW 2005)

• Indigenous mothers made up 3.5 % of all mothers who gave birth in Australia in 2002.
• The total fertility rate for Indigenous Mothers is 2.15 babies compared to 1.76 babies in the total Australian female population.
• Teenage pregnancies are more common amongst Indigenous women. In 2003 the teenage birth rate was four times the overall Australian teenage birth rate.

Risk factors during pregnancy (ABS AIHW 2005)

• In NSW 57 % of Indigenous mothers reported smoking at some point during pregnancy compared with 14 % of other Mothers. 
• In WA 23 % of mothers reported consuming alcohol at some point in their pregnancy.
• In WA 9 % of mothers reported using marijuana at some point in their pregnancy

Maternal Mortality (ABS AIHW 2005)

• Between 1997 and 1999 9 % of maternal deaths where Indigenous status was known were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

Click here to go to Education Kit - worksheet 5

Click here to go to Prayer Sheet - MDG 5

Click here to go to Goal 6 - Combat Chronic and Communicable Disease