Newborn Health
Newborn health is a crucial aspect of child survival and well-being. Every year, about 2.4 million babies die in the first month of life, mostly from preventable causes. Newborn deaths account for 47% of all under-5 deaths globally, and the majority of them occur in low- and middle-income countries.
The main causes of newborn deaths are preterm birth, birth asphyxia, infections and birth defects. These conditions can be prevented or treated with quality care before, during and after birth. Antenatal care, skilled care at birth, postnatal care for mother and baby, and care of small and sick newborns are essential interventions to save newborn lives and prevent stillbirths.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is committed to improving newborn health and ending preventable stillbirths. WHO provides global guidance, technical support and tools to help countries implement effective policies and programmes for newborn health. WHO also works with partners to advocate for increased attention, investment and action for newborn health.
Some of the key initiatives and achievements of WHO in newborn health include:
- Developing the Every Newborn Action Plan, a roadmap to end preventable deaths of newborns and stillbirths by 2030¹.
- Promoting midwife-led continuity of care, a model of care that reduces preterm births and improves maternal and newborn outcomes².
- Supporting the implementation of kangaroo mother care, a low-cost intervention that involves skin-to-skin contact and exclusive breastfeeding for small and premature babies³.
- Conducting research and generating evidence on the causes, trends and solutions for newborn health and stillbirths.
- Raising awareness and mobilizing action on newborn health through global campaigns and events, such as the World Prematurity Day.
Newborn health is not only a matter of survival, but also of quality of life. Healthy newborns have better chances of growing up to be healthy children, adolescents and adults. Investing in newborn health is investing in the future of human race.