Each year on World Prematurity Day (17 November), we are reminded that every week a baby remains safely in the womb makes a difference. Babies born too soon face a higher risk of health complications, developmental challenges, and, in some cases, lifelong consequences. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, these challenges are even greater.
Reducing the rate and impact of preterm birth in First Nations communities must remain a national priority—one guided by partnership, respect, and cultural strength.
Across Australia, preterm birth remains one of the leading causes of infant illness and death. While rates have improved in some populations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies are still born preterm almost twice as often as non-Indigenous babies.
This inequity is not due to biology—it reflects the broader social, cultural, and systemic factors that shape health. It tells us that we must do better, not only in clinical care but in the way we listen, learn, and work alongside communities.
The Commonwealth-funded Every Week Counts Preterm and Early Term Birth Prevention Collaborative is one example of how this can be done differently. This initiative brings together maternity health services from across the country to share evidence, test new ideas, and support each other to reduce preventable preterm births. But when it comes to working in partnership with First Nations families, the Collaborative recognises that there can be no “one size fits all” solution. Change begins with listening.
Earlier this year, the Every Week Counts Collaborative facilitated a yarning circle with First Nations leaders in maternity care from across Australia. This gathering created space for open, respectful dialogue about priorities, values, and the best ways of working together.
The leaders who took part in the yarning circle shared deep insights about what matters most for mothers, babies, and communities. They spoke about the importance of trust, continuity of care, and having Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff embedded in every part of the maternity journey. They emphasised that genuine partnership requires hospitals and services to work with communities—not just for them.
The expert advice has become the foundation for the Collaborative’s next phase. It has been shared with participating health services and will guide how each develops its local plans to reduce preterm birth. Each service is encouraged to take these principles forward in their own way—by being led by First Nations staff within hospitals, and by forming or strengthening partnerships with local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs).
This is not a top-down directive; it’s a collective commitment to do things differently, grounded in community voice.
Improving outcomes for mothers and babies requires more than a one-off initiative—it needs sustained relationships, reflection, and accountability. The Collaborative meets regularly with participating health services to reflect on progress, discuss challenges, and share learnings. These sessions provide a supportive space to ask difficult questions:
These conversations are helping to build a culture of humility and learning across maternity services. They remind us that improving clinical outcomes and improving cultural safety go hand in hand.
Towards the conclusion of this phase, the Every Week Counts Collaborative will host a symposium that brings yarning circle participants, health service staff, and community partners back together.
This will be a time to reflect on how the implementation has gone, share stories of what has worked, and consider what needs to change next. It will also be an opportunity to celebrate progress—to acknowledge the growing number of services that are walking alongside First Nations communities in a spirit of partnership and respect.
The hope is that these relationships will ripple outward, influencing how maternity care is delivered across Australia. When Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women lead, when their voices shape decisions, outcomes improve—for mothers, babies, and the health system as a whole.
The message of World Prematurity Day is simple yet powerful: Every Week Counts.
But for this message to truly count for everyone, we must ensure that every woman counts too—that every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mother has access to care that is culturally safe, trauma-informed, and responsive to her needs.
This means embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander midwives, doctors, and health workers throughout the maternity system. It means building trusting relationships between hospitals and community-controlled organisations. It means acknowledging the ongoing impact of colonisation, racism, and intergenerational trauma—and addressing them head-on.
Above all, it means recognising that strength already exists within communities. The role of the health system is not to “fix” but to walk alongside, providing care that honours culture, connection, and family.
On this World Prematurity Day, let us recommit to closing the gap in preterm birth outcomes. Let’s ensure that the knowledge and leadership of First Nations people are at the heart of every effort to improve maternity care.
When we listen deeply, collaborate genuinely, and act together, we can create a future where every baby—no matter where they are born or who their mother is—has the healthiest start possible.
Because every week counts. And so does every voice.
Dr Kiarna Brown,
UWA graduate, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Top End Lead, Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Program
Prof Cath Chamberlain,
Professor of Indigenous Health, University of Melbourne
This program is supported by funding from the Australian Government under the Preventing Preterm Birth grant.
We recognise Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander People as the traditional custodians of the lands on which we live and work and acknowledge that sovereignty of the land we call Australia has never been ceded. We commit to listening to and learning from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about how we can improve experiences & outcomes of healthcare for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander children and young people, their families & communities.
We acknowledge Māori as tangata whenua (original inhabitants) and Treaty of Waitangi partners in Aotearoa New Zealand. We recognise the tikanga (customary practices) of Maori and support their right to tino rangatiratanga (sovereignty). We commit to listening to and learning from Māori people about how we can improve experiences & outcomes of healthcare for Māori children and young people, their families & communities.
