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Review
. 2020 Jul;150(1):31-33.
doi: 10.1002/ijgo.13195.

Global burden of preterm birth

Salimah R Walani  1
Affiliations
Review

Global burden of preterm birth

Salimah R Walani. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Preterm birth is a live birth that occurs before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. Approximately 15 million babies are born preterm annually worldwide, indicating a global preterm birth rate of about 11%. With 1 million children dying due to preterm birth before the age of 5 years, preterm birth is the leading cause of death among children, accounting for 18% of all deaths among children aged under 5 years and as much as 35% of all deaths among newborns (aged <28 days). There are significant variations in preterm birth rates and mortality between countries and within countries. However, the burden of preterm birth is particularly high in low- and middle-income countries, especially those in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Preterm birth rates are rising in many countries. The issue of preterm birth is of paramount significance for achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 target #3.2, which aims to end all preventable deaths of newborns and children aged under 5 years by 2030.

Keywords: Preterm birth; Preterm birth disparities; Preterm birth mortality; Preterm birth prevalence.

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References

REFERENCES

    1. WHO. 2018. Preterm birth. http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/preterm-birth.
    1. WHO, March of Dimes, PMNCH, Save the Children. 15 million preterm births: Priorities for action based on national, regional and global estimates. In: Howson CP, Kinney MV, Lawn J, eds. Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth. 2012.
    1. Chawanpaiboon S, Vogel JP, Moller A-B, et al. Global, regional, and national estimates of levels of preterm birth in 2014: A systematic review and modelling analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2019;7:e37-e46.
    1. United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). ‘Levels & Trends in Child Mortality: Report. Estimates developed by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation’. New York, NY: United Nations Children’s Fund; 2019.
    1. United Nations. Sustainable Development Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/health/.

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