About 10% of births – that’s about 15 million babies – are born prematurely worldwide each year, making preterm births a major global health concern. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines preterm birth as delivery before 37 completed weeks of gestation.
Estimates suggest that the preterm figure is much higher in low-income countries. Preterm births are a danger to the infant’s survival and long-term health. And according to the WHO, the level of socioeconomic development in the country where a preterm baby is born often plays a crucial role in their survival.
In high-income countries, over 90% of extremely preterm newborns survive. In low-income countries, survival rates can be as low as 10%.
