This report provides information on stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths, including causes, maternal characteristics, timing and investigations. It also includes a separate article on breastfeeding in Australia, focusing on breastfeeding duration and breastfeeding by state or territory, remoteness area and among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) mothers.

The health of both mothers and babies can have important ongoing implications. In 2021, there were 315,705 babies born to 311,360 mothers in Australia.

Key findings

• An increase in the average age of first-time mothers (from 28.4 years in 2011 to 29.7 years in 2021).
• A decrease in smoking at any time during pregnancy (from 15% in 2009 to 8.7% in 2021).
• An increase in caesarean section births (from 29% in 2004 to 38% in 2021).
• An increase in induction of labour (from 26% in 1998 to 34% in 2021).