STILLBIRTHS, NEONATAL AND POSTNEONATAL MORTALITY BY RACE, BIRTH-WEIGHT AND GESTATIONAL-AGE

The birthweight and gestational age specific mortality of singleton Ab original and White infants born in Western Australia during the period 1980-86 is described. The analyses are based on the approximately 800 0 Aboriginal and 143000 White births notified through the Western Aust ralia Midwives' system, which were linked to perinatal and infant deat h records. Overall, stillbirth, neonatal and post-neonatal mortality r isks were significantly higher (P<0.01) for Aboriginals than Whites. H owever, for specific birthweights and gestational ages, particularly f or infants of lower birthweight and shorter gestations, Aboriginals ha d lower mortality risks than Whites. The ratio of Aboriginal to White mortality risks tended to increase with advancing age of death, sugges ting that longer exposure to the well-documented poorer social and env ironmental conditions of Aboriginal infants increased the mortality ri sk.