• Identify the benefits of antenatal care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and babies.
• Understand the impact of poor nutrition and substance use during the antenatal period and the potential effects on the child in utero and the new-born.
• Identify strategies to broaden the skills and knowledge of Aboriginal mothers in a culturally appropriate way.
• Recognise the need for a family approach when dealing with Aboriginal antenatal and infant care.

Health and illness in early, mid and later adulthood are a consequence of accumulated exposure to risk and protective factors throughout life. This begins in pregnancy with foetal development, continues through infancy, early childhood and later adolescence.

An approach to Aboriginal health that begins with a focus on adult morbidity and interventions begins too late and misses opportunities to intervene early. What is happening in communities to facilitate this early intervention?

To have healthy babies, Aboriginal women need to be healthy both physically and emotionally. Good access to primary health care makes a difference to the health of women of childbearing age and women during pregnancy, as well as the foetus during growth and development and the infant and young child.

Aboriginal babies are twice as likely to be of low birth weight. This has a long term impact in itself and increases the risk of major illness and death in early life.

In the Australian context, Aboriginal babies born with low birth weight have been shown to be at greater risk in the first year of life. Perinatal mortality rates are two times higher and infant mortality rates are two and a half times higher for Aboriginal babies than non-Aboriginal babies.

Warning to viewers: this program contains images of people who are deceased.

Note that this program is closely linked with the Foundation program Growing Healthy Aboriginal Kids: The Early Years - 1-5.

- Dr Kate Panaretto, General Practitioner, Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service TAIHS.
- Dr Ngiare Brown, Assistant Director, Indigenous Health, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin.
- Dr John Boffa, Public Health Officer, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress Inc., Alice Springs.
- Dr Andrew White, Rural and Remote Health, Department of Health and Community Service, Alice Springs.
- Dr Simone Raye, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin.
- Dr Rebekah Kidney, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress Inc., Alukura Alice Springs.
- Ms Carmel Hattch, Liaison Officer, Alice Springs Hospital, Department Health and Community Service, Alice Springs.
- Ms Mandala Pupangamirri, Jirnani Childcare Centre, Nguiu Bathurst Island NT.
- Ms Eva Williams, Nurse, Nguiu Clinic, Bathurst Island NT.
- Ms Marion Swift, Growth Assessment and Action Co-ordinator, Hermannsburg NT.
- Ms Heather Grieve, Program Coordinator Growth Assessment and Action, Hermannsburg NT.
- Ms Cassie Munkasa, Nguiu Clinic, Bathurst Island NT.
- Ms Rachael Atkinson, Coordinator Mums and Babies Program, Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service (TAIHS).
- Marlene Liddle, Co-ordinator Strong Women Strong Babies Strong Culture Program, Department of Health and Community Service, Darwin.
- Carol Schuil, Midwife Nurse, Daruk Aboriginal Medical Services, Western Sydney.
- Dr Wendy Thornthwaite, General Practitioner, Daruk Aboriginal Medical Services, Western Sydney.
- Michele Robinson, Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara NPY.
- Melissa Thompson, Executive Member, Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara NPY.
- Patricia Harvey, Midwife, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress Alukura, Alice Springs.
- Elaine Gordon, Aboriginal Antenatal Support Worker, Daruk Aboriginal Medical Services, Western Sydney.
- Melvina Mitchell, Nurse, Mums and Babies Program, Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service.
- Lynette Hussey, Nurse, Mums and Babies Program, Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service.
- Click here for more details about the participants.

You can watch a 3-minute video promo of this program via online webstreaming with Windows Media Player software:

• View online video promo - Low bandwidth version
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60 minutes.

This pre-recorded program was first broadcast on the Foundation's satellite network on Tuesday 30 August 2005 and was repeated on Friday 2 September 2005.

This program is accredited for CPD/CPE by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and the Australian Physiotherapy Association. Click here to evaluate this program and earn professional development points.

Visit our resources page for a list of Aboriginal maternal and infant care resources.

The Foundation thanks the many organisations and individuals who provided assistance in producing this program. Please view our full list of acknowledgements.

This program was funded by an untied educational grant from Merck Sharp & Dohme (Australia) Pty Ltd in support of better health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Additional funding was provided by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

- 809 Rheumatic Heart Disease: All But Forgotten
- 808 Smoking and Pregnancy: Womb to Breathe
- 807 Across the Lifespan: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Checks and Lifescripts
- 710 Indigenous Mental Health: An Interview with Professor Ernest Hunter
- 709 Rheumatic Fever
- 708 Drinking for Two?
- 702 Alcohol Treatment Guidelines for Indigenous Australians
- 614 Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
- 609 Postnatal Depression
- 607a Start Strong
- 607b Grow Strong
- 606 Keep Safe
- 509b Growing Healthy Aboriginal Kids - The Early Years: 1-5
- 506 Injury Prevention in Aboriginal Communities
- 407 Palliative Care for Indigenous People
- 404 Aboriginal Health Workers and Chronic Disease Management
- 316 Breathing Easy: Respiratory Disease in Indigenous Children
- 313 Overcoming Barriers to Screening of Cervical and Breast Cancer in Indigenous Women
- 312 Breastfeeding: The Facts, the Issues, the Benefits
- 305 Talking Together - Contemporary Issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health: HIV, Hepatitis and Sexual Health
- 302a Nursing Series: Obstetrics and Midwifery pt 1 & 2 (Remote Area Maternity Emergencies for Non-Midwives 1 & 2)
- 302b Nursing Series: Obstetrics and Midwifery pt 3 & 4 (Neonatal Resuscitation & Well Women's Check)
- 205 Indigenous Child Health
- 107 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Childhood Immunisation