A better start to life: Risk factors for, and prevention of, preterm birth in Australian First Nations women - a narrative review.

• Published in: International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics
• Main Authors: Brown, Kiarna, Langston-Cox, Annie, Unger, Holger W
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: United States 2021
• Subjects: Menzies; First Nations
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10137/11849; https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.13907; https://www.ezpdhcs.nt.gov.au/login?url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34455588

The unacceptable discrepancies in health outcomes between First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians begin at birth. Preterm birth (birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation) is a major contributor to adverse short- and long-term health outcomes and mortality. Australian First Nations infants are more commonly born too early. No tangible reductions in preterm births have been made in First Nations communities. Factors contributing to high preterm birth rates in Australian First Nations infants are reviewed and interventions to reduce preterm birth in Australian First Nations women are discussed. More must be done to ensure Australian First Nations infants get a better start to life. This can only be achieved with ongoing and improved research in partnership with Australian First Nations peoples. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.