7. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mothers and Babies

Abstract

For NSW overall, the percentage of births to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander mothers reported to the MDC was 68% to 71% between 2005 and 2007. In 2007, reporting varied markedly between area health services, ranging from 37% in the Sydney South West Area to 88% in the Greater Western Area, with reporting generally better in rural compared to urban areas (Table 69, Figure 2). Under-reporting means that numbers of births presented in this chapter should be interpreted with caution. The total number of babies born to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander mothers in 2007 is estimated to be 4,299, about one-and-a-half times higher than the number reported to the MDC.