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Priya Soma-Pillay, Chair: School of Medicine and Head of Department: Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Pretoria

Every 2 seconds in the world a baby is born prematurely – report identifies biggest challenges for their survival

United Nations Pregnancy
A premature infant receives care at Koidu Government Hospital in Kono, Sierra Leone. Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Globally, about one baby in 10 is born too soon – that’s around one baby every two seconds. A full term pregnancy is around nine months or 37 weeks. Babies born before this mark are considered premature. Preterm birth is a significant global health issue. It can cause serious short term consequences, such as respiratory and cardiac problems. In the long term, babies born prematurely may face motor, neurosensory, cognitive and behavioural deficits.

A decade ago in 2012, a global coalition of stakeholders launched Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth. The report made a case for global action to mitigate the problems of preterm birth.

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