{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T06:41:38Z","timestamp":1791355298625,"version":"4.3.1"},"reference-count":67,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"16","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,18]],"date-time":"2025-08-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1755475200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Channel 7 Children\u2019s Research Foundation","award":["GNT1174971"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GNT1174971"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000925","name":"NHMRC","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["GNT1174971"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GNT1174971"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000925","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Flinders University","award":["GNT1174971"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GNT1174971"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Over the past two decades, pregnancy and birth trends have undergone significant shifts across Australia, the United States of America (USA), and the United Kingdom (UK), reflecting changes in societal norms, healthcare advancements, and demographic patterns. Variations in maternal age, birth interventions, and fertility rates highlight the evolving nature of reproductive behaviors and healthcare systems in these nations. The analysis reveals consistent increases in maternal age and gestational diabetes, alongside rising caesarean section rates\u2014particularly in private healthcare settings. While perinatal mortality has declined overall, maternal mortality has increased in the USA and remains disproportionately high among Indigenous women and those in ethnic minorities in all three countries. These findings highlight the influence of structural inequities, healthcare access, and policy differences in maternal health. The review underscores the urgent need for equity-focused, culturally safe, and system-level interventions, as well as improved data collection and international collaboration to reduce preventable maternal and neonatal harms. By comparing these three regions, this review aims to provide insights into the shared challenges and unique approaches shaping childbirth practices in high-income countries in the 21st century.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14165841","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,18]],"date-time":"2025-08-18T15:34:53Z","timestamp":1755531293000},"page":"5841","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Pregnancy and Birth Trends Across Australia, the United States of America and the United Kingdom"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4382-0610","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anya L.","family":"Arthurs","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia"},{"name":"Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia"},{"name":"School of Biomedicine and Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jade K.","family":"Harrison","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia"},{"name":"Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jessica M.","family":"Williamson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia"},{"name":"Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9250-2192","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Claire T.","family":"Roberts","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia"},{"name":"Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Australian Bureau of Statistics (2024). 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