Hospitalisations for birth
Method of birth
During 2020–21, of the total female humanitarian entrants hospitalised for birth:
- 52% had a non-instrumental vaginal birth (compared with 57% in the 2016–17 financial year)
- 9.1% had a vaginal birth assisted by vacuum or forceps (compared with 8.8% in the 2016–17 financial year)
- 35% had a caesarean section birth (compared with 30% in the 2016–17 financial year)
- Humanitarian entrants were slightly less likely to have a caesarean birth or forceps and vacuum extractor assisted birth than other permanent migrants, regardless of age
- 3.8% gave birth requiring other forms of assistance or had multiple births using a combination of birth methods (compared with 4.2% in 2016–17 financial year)
- A lower proportion of women were aged 35 years and over when giving birth in humanitarian entrants (20%), compared with other permanent migrants (32%).
The proportion of women who were humanitarian entrants and had a non-instrumental vaginal birth has decreased over time, and the proportion of this group who had a caesarean section birth has increased. Vaginal births assisted by vacuum or forceps have remained relatively stable. These patterns are consistent with the experiences of other permanent migrants and the Australian data more broadly (AIHW 2023).
For AIHW published data on the method of birth in the general Australian population, refer to the web report Australia’s mothers and babies. Due to differences in data sources and methods it is not valid to make direct comparisons with the data presented in this report.
Method of birth
Method of birth refers to how the baby was born, which may be vaginally or by caesarean section. When compared with non-instrumental vaginal births, instrumental vaginal births (vacuum or forceps) and caesarean section births can carry additional risks for mothers and babies, such as infection and physical trauma. Although each method carries risks, they are chosen by women and their healthcare providers to minimise complications and increase the likelihood of positive pregnancy outcomes (Victorian Department of Health and Human Services 2017). See the Technical notes for information on how method of birth was defined in this report.
Data for methods of birth for humanitarian entrants and other permanent migrants, including by age, are available in the data tables.
AIHW (2023) Australia’s mothers and babies, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 05 June 2024.
Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (2017) Caesarean section, Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, Victorian Government, accessed 05 June 2024.