Saving lives and giving newborns the best start: Critical nutrition interventions for mothers and infants in the perinatal period

Most under-five deaths occur in the first week to month of life. The highest mortality rates are found in Africa and South Asia. Effective delivery of nutrition and health interventions for both the mother and the newborn—during the period from birth through the first 28 days of life—can help reduce these deaths. Prompt and consistent implementation of recommended nutrition practices for newborns, as part of the early essential newborn care (EENC) package, can save newborn lives and set them on a trajectory for optimum growth and development.