According the report from the National Indigenous Health Equality Council, there is an increase in the number of Indigenous babies with low birth weight.

Based on the report, although the Indigenous child mortality rates have significantly reduced but the Aboriginal babies are still three times more likely to die than non-Indigenous infants.

It was also found that the Aboriginal children of less than one year of age are six times are more likely to die from nonspecific conditions, such as sudden infant death syndrome.

According to the report, Indigenous children of up to four years of age are three times more likely to die from injury or poisoning. Between 1991 and 2005, the report shows that the rate of low birth weigh babies born to Aboriginal mothers had increased by 16 percent.

Warren Snowdon, the Federal Indigenous Health Minister stated that although the rate of infant mortality among the Aborigines has reduced by almost fifty percent, more work needs to be directed at reducing the habits of smoking and improving the nutritional food intake of Indigenous women who are pregnant.

Mr Snowdon said, There are concerns about low birth weight.

It appears there may be an increase in low birth weight children that leads to a discussion about what we need to do to get pregnant mums to take care of themselves to make sure they're not smoking or drinking, that they've got proper nutrition, stressed Snowdon.

Medicine