Statistics on perinatal deaths including fetal (stillbirths) and neonatal deaths sourced from Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages
Some of these statistics may cause distress. Services you can contact are detailed below and in the Crisis support services section at the end of the publication.
For this publication, unless otherwise stated:
From 2024, stillbirth data back to 2020 was revised for Victoria. Rather than registrations, this data is now based on Medical Certificates of Cause of Perinatal Death (MCCPDs). The change in scope represents a break in time series, with Victoria and National data impacted. Refer to Changes to scope of ABS stillbirths collection for more detail.
Data is presented by year of registration unless otherwise stated. For Victorian stillbirths, data is presented by year of receipt.
In 2025:
Fetal and perinatal death rates are per 1,000 births (live births + stillbirths) for the reference year. Neonatal death rates are per 1,000 live births in the reference year only.
In 2025:
| Number of deaths | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stillbirths (fetal deaths)(a) | 1,999 | 2,044 | 2,035 | 2,233 | 2,111 |
| Neonatal deaths | 745 | 695 | 660 | 719 | 784 |
| Perinatal deaths | 2,744 | 2,739 | 2,695 | 2,952 | 2,895 |
| Rate per 1,000 births(a) | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stillbirth (fetal death) rate | 6.4 | 6.8 | 7.0 | 7.6 | 7.2 |
| Neonatal death rate | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.7 |
| Perinatal death rate | 8.8 | 9.0 | 9.3 | 10.0 | 9.8 |
| Organisation | About | Telephone number | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lifeline | Provides access to crisis support and suicide prevention services. | 13 11 14 | lifeline.org.au |
| 13YARN | Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line for people feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. | 13 92 76 | 13yarn.org.au |
| Beyond Blue | Supporting people affected by anxiety, depression and suicide. | 1300 224 636 | beyondblue.org.au |
| Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA) | Helpline for people affected by changes to their mental health and emotional wellbeing during the perinatal period. | 1300 726 306 | panda.org.au |
| Red Nose Grief and Loss Support Line | Provides information, advice and support services to help navigate grief for those who have, or know someone who has, experienced loss of a baby or child. | 1300 308 307 | rednose.org.au |
| Relationships Australia | Provides information and services to promote and support the maintenance of respectful relationships. | 1300 364 277 | relationships.org.au |
| 1800RESPECT | National domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. | 1800 737 732 | 1800respect.org.au |
| MensLine Australia | Telephone and online support, information and referral service for men with concerns about family and relationships, mental health, anger management, family violence (using and experiencing), substance abuse and wellbeing. The service is available from anywhere in Australia and is staffed by professional counsellors, experienced in men's issues. | 1300 789 978 | mensline.org.au |
All perinatal deaths in Australia that occurred and were received by the ABS including stillbirths (at least 20 weeks' gestation or at least 400 grams birth weight) and neonatal death (a live born baby under 28 days age).
Data available for Australia and State of Usual Residence. Usual residence data is coded to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS).
Registrations or notifications from state and territory Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDMs).
Administrative data from Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM).
Cause of death information is coded to the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10).
Not applicable to this release.