Stillbirths, neonatal and post-neonatal mortality by race, birthweight and gestational age

The birthweight and gestational age specific mortality of singleton Aboriginal and White infants born in Western Australia during the period 1980–86 is described. The analyses are based on the approximately 8000 Aboriginal and 143000 White births notified through the Western Australia Midwives' system, which were linked to perinatal and infant death records. Overall, stillbirth, neonatal and post-neonatal mortality risks were significantly higher (P<0.01) for Aboriginals than Whites. However, for specific birthweights and gestational ages, particularly for infants of lower birthweight and shorter gestations, Aboriginals had lower mortality risks than Whites. The ratio of Aboriginal to White mortality risks tended to increase with advancing age of death, suggesting that longer exposure to the well-documented poorer social and environmental conditions of Aboriginal infants increased the mortality risk.