Indigenous Maternal and Perinatal Health

Research Leaders: Philippa Middleton, Professor Caroline Crowther, E/Professor Jeffrey Robinson, Dr Alice Rumbold

The Indigenous Maternal and Perinatal Health Division aims to continue to expand its collaborations with Indigenous organisations and communities to conduct research of relevance for Indigenous women and their babies.

In 2009 the Division published the Strategic Health Research Program Report "Preventing infant deaths among Aboriginal and teenage women in South Australia" (www.adelaide.edu.au/arch).

The Strategic Health Research Program (SHRP) of the South Australian Department of Health commissioned ARCH to undertake a synthesis of Australian and international research to identify possible reasons for the higher infant and perinatal mortality among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and teenage women in South Australia; and to identify strategies and models for preventing infant deaths.

The Division also looked at the influence of maternal education and community resilience on infant mortality and identified strategies for reducing unplanned pregnancies among teenage women.

The Strategic Health Research Project titled "Preventing infant deaths among Aboriginal and teenage women in South
Australia - a research synthesis" was completed and a final report, written by Ms Philippa Middleton, was submitted to the South Australian Department of Health in December 2009.

Numerous organisations collaborated in this research. The report identified 17 health-related and social factors relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and teenage women, and with the potential to be modified in order to reduce infant mortality or to reduce or prevent other adverse birth and infant outcomes. These factors were: alcohol use, antenatal care, birth spacing, breastfeeding, diabetes, family violence, home visits, hypertension in pregnancy, infection, nutrition, obesity, poverty, social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB), SIDS/SUDI, smoking, social support and substance use.

The research synthesis shows that many strategies and models may be used effectively to improve health and social outcomes for Aboriginal and teenage mothers and their children in South Australia. These, however, will require consultation with the relevant communities and groups, as well as careful, sensitive and appropriate implementation.

Since many health outcomes have their origins in pregnancy or early childhood, an intergenerational perspective is necessary. Preconception and interpregnancy care is a priority, as is care of young women during adolescence and beyond.