A world-first Australian program supported by the Albanese Government has helped reduce the number of babies born early in Australia.
A new study published on Wednesday 29 October, in The Lancet has confirmed the success of the National Preterm Birth Prevention Program, which has significantly reduced rates of both preterm (before 37 weeks) and early term (37 to 39 weeks) births across Australia.
Preterm birth is the single greatest cause of death in young children worldwide and one of the major causes of lifelong disability such as cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness and behavioural and learning problems.
This national program brings together obstetricians, midwives, general practitioners, sonographers, neonatologists with consumers and quality improvement experts from maternity hospitals across the country, to safely reduce rates of early birth.
The study, reviewed the program over two phases, with the first phase between 2018 and 2021, showing the program halted the rising rate of preterm births and instead decreased it by 6.8 per cent for single pregnancies with an estimated 1,300 preterm births avoided annually.
During the second phase called Every Week Counts: The National Preterm Birth Prevention Collaborative, rates of early term birth in participating hospitals reduced significantly – by 9.6 per cent – representing an estimated 5,300 early births avoided. Funded by the Australian Government and developed by the Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance, the program used evidence-based interventions to manage known risks for preterm birth.
To build on these results the Albanese Government invested $5.3 million to support Women’s Healthcare Australasia to continue strategies to prevent preterm and early-term birth and reduce the number of babies born too early in participating maternity services and First Nations communities.
Around 25,000 babies are born preterm in Australia each year. The rate of preterm birth for First Nations mothers is double that of non-Indigenous mothers.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister White:
“The success of the National Preterm Birth Prevention Program is a testament to what can be achieved when clinicians, researchers and communities work together.
“This program is helping to prevent early and preterm births and give more babies a healthy start to life, sparing thousands of families the heartbreak and stress of having a sick or premature baby in intensive care or a special care nursery.
“Reducing early births is about giving families the chance to welcome their babies into the world safely. This program has shown that simple, evidence-based changes in care can make a profound difference.
“Every baby deserves the best possible start in life. We know preterm birth rates are higher among First Nations mothers, and by expanding Every Week Counts nationally, the Albanese Government is investing in a healthier start for all babies and families, by working with First Nations communities to ensure care is culturally safe and accessible."