According to the most recent estimates, preterm birth is a leading cause of under-5 mortality, claiming nearly 1 million lives every year.

The World Health Organization defines preterm birth as babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed. While many preterms survive in high-income countries, in low- and middle-income countries a lack of adequate newborn care puts the lives of many preterm babies at risk.

Although we still do not have a full understanding of the causes of preterm birth, several interventions may reduce the risk of a woman delivering early, including high-quality antenatal care; good nutrition; screening and management of maternal infections, diabetes, and hypertension; smoking cessation; family planning; and prenatal care for adolescents. If a woman presents in preterm labor, administration of antenatal corticosteroids may reduce mortality from respiratory distress, and antibiotics can reduce a baby’s risk for infection.

Key resources:

• WHO recommendations for care of the preterm or low-birth-weight newborn (2022)
• Joint Statement: International WHO Recommendations on Interventions to Improve Preterm Birth Outcomes
• National, regional, and worldwide estimates of low birthweight in 2015, with trends from 2000: a systematic analysis
• Low birthweight: will new estimates accelerate progress?
• Nurturing care for small and sick newborns: Evidence review and country case studies
• Safe and effective human milk feeding for small and sick newborns
• Preterm birth–associated neurodevelopmental impairment estimates at regional and global levels for 2010
• Born too soon
• Latest global, regional and national estimates of levels of preterm birth
• Lancet preterm birth series
  • Epidemiology and causes of preterm birth
  • Primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions to reduce the morbidity and mortality of preterm birth
  • An overview of mortality and sequelae of preterm birth from infancy to adulthood
• Every Newborn Action Plan
• WHO recommendations on interventions to improve preterm birth outcomes (2015)