7. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mothers and Babies

Abstract

For NSW overall, the estimated percentage of births to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander mothers reported to the PDC ranged from 63% to 68% between 2006 and 2008. In 2008, reporting varied markedly between Local Health Districts, ranging from 14% in the Northern Sydney Local Health District to 93% in the Mid North Coast Local Health District, 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 2008 is estimated to be 4,716, about one and a half times higher than the number reported to the PDC.