About AIHW National Perinatal Epidemiology and Statistics Unit
The NPESU is a collaborating unit of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare at The University of New South Wales. The NPESU has a Director, several full-time and part-time research positions and general staff. The NPESU manages several major national data collections. Staff at the NPESU include researchers, epidemiologists and postgraduate students in public health, perinatal and reproductive health and epidemiology.
Our mission
"To improve the health and well-being of Australian mothers and babies, we will supply health statistics and epidemiological information to enable well informed community discussion and decision making about reproductive and perinatal health. We will also provide leadership and excellence in reproductive and perinatal health research and teaching."
Our objectives
Monitor and interpret national data in reproductive and perinatal morbidity and mortality
- Establish high quality reproductive and perinatal health information systems
- Produce reports on national epidemiological and statistical reports on perinatal and reproductive health
- Enhance national reproductive and perinatal health data systems
- Provide a reproductive and perinatal epidemiology service
- Conduct high quality epidemiological research
- Attract talented research students to promote the research endeavours of the NPESU
- Secure long term recurrent funding
- Increase the number and value of external research grants
The NPESU publishes
national reports on reproductive and perinatal health which cover pregnancy outcomes, maternal morbidity and mortality, assisted reproduction and congenital anomalies.
The NPESU is funded primarily by AIHW, with additional funding from UNSW, SCH and Fertility Society of Australia. The core funding is supplemented by external research grants and contract work.