Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Dec;64(6):608-618.
doi: 10.1111/ajo.13843. Epub 2024 Jun 7.

Being a First Nations baby is not independently associated with low birthweight in a large metropolitan health service

Sonia Pervin  1 , Lauren Kearney  1   2 , Sonita Giudice  3 , Sherry Holzapfel  4 , Tara Denaro  5 , Jodi Dyer  5 , Phillipa E Cole  5 , Leonie Callaway  1   6
Affiliations

Being a First Nations baby is not independently associated with low birthweight in a large metropolitan health service

Sonia Pervin et al. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

Aim: To examine low birth weight (LBW) in First Nations babies born in a large metropolitan health service in Queensland, Australia.

Materials and methods: A retrospective population-based study using routinely collected data from administrative data sources. All singleton births in metropolitan health services, Queensland, Australia of ≥20 weeks gestation or at least 400 g birthweight and had information on First Nations status and born between 2019 and 2021 were included. The study measured birthweight and birthweight z-score, and also identified the predictors of LBW. Multivariate regression models were adjusted by demographic, socioeconomic and perinatal factors.

Results: First Nations babies had higher rates of LBW (11.4% vs 6.9%, P < 0.001), with higher rates of preterm birth (13.9% vs 8.8%, P < 0.001). In all babies, the most important factors contributing to LBW were: maternal smoking after 20 weeks of gestation; maternal pre-pregnancy underweight (body mass index <18.5 kg/m2); nulliparity; socioeconomic disadvantage; geographical remoteness; less frequent antenatal care; history of cannabis use; pre-existing cardiovascular disease; pre-eclampsia; antepartum haemorrhage; and birth outcomes including prematurity and female baby. After adjusting for all contributing factors, no difference in odds of LBW was observed between First Nations and non-First Nation babies.

Conclusions: First Nations status was not an independent factor influencing LBW in this cohort, after adjustment for identifiable factors. The disparity in LBW relates to modifiable risk factors, socioeconomic disadvantage, and prematurity. Upscaling culturally safe maternity care, focusing on modifiable risk factors is required to address LBW in Australian women.

Keywords: First Nations; low birth weight; non‐First Nations; prematurity; socioeconomic disadvantage.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of the sample included in the study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of birthweight by gestational weeks among study participants.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Doherty T, Kinney M. Low birthweight: Will new estimates accelerate progress? Lancet Glob Health 2019; 7(7): e809–e810. - PubMed
    1. Schultz R. Closing the gap and the sustainable development goals: Listening to aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people. Aust N Z J Public Health 2020; 44(1): 11–13. - PubMed
    1. Kildea SV, Gao Y, Rolfe M et al. Risk factors for preterm, low birthweight and small for gestational age births among Aboriginal women from remote communities in Northern Australia. Women Birth 2017; 30(5): 398–405. - PubMed
    1. Ford EJ, Cade TJ, Doyle LW, Umstad MP. Pregnancy risk factors associated with birthweight of infants born to Australian aboriginal women in an urban setting‐a retrospective cohort study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2018; 18: 1–7. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Humphrey M, Holzheimer D. A prospective study of gestation and birthweight in aboriginal pregnancies in far north Queensland. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol 2000; 40(3): 326–330. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources