Every two seconds, a baby is born prematurely, and every forty seconds, a baby born before thirty-seven weeks of gestation dies. This tragic fact is revealed in the report released by United Nations agencies and partners titled, “Born Too Soon: Decade of Action on Preterm Birth,” which also shows that 152 million babies worldwide were born preterm in the last decade.
Preterm birth is currently the leading cause of child mortality, resulting in about 1 in 5 of under-5 deaths. There has been no measurable progress in reducing preterm birth rates worldwide in the past decade. In fact, preterm rates increased in some countries, making the need for effective resource allocation in Africa and elsewhere critical.
In Africa, particularly in Malawi, South Africa, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), preterm birth rates were among the highest globally in 2020. Sub-Saharan Africa had preterm rates of 10%, and a shocking 11% resulted in death. Countries with larger populations like Nigeria and Ethiopia had some of the highest numbers of preterm births, with Nigeria recording approximately 775,000 and Ethiopia nearly half a million in 2020.
Several well-known medical and environmental causes such as conflict, disease outbreaks, the climate crisis, air pollution, and poor nutrition contribute to preterm birth. Challenges with access to quality medical services often exacerbate this problem. Preventive measures that have been adopted over time to tackle preterm birth rates include a health systems approach, which has helped to scale up small and sick newborn care in several countries. The approach hinges on ten core components, including political commitment, leadership, financing, and referral systems to improve access to quality maternal care, family, community involvement, and post-discharge follow-up systems.
Moreover, empowering women through education and creating community support systems has significant long-term benefits for preterm babies. When properly cared for, millions of children with moderate and severe long-term disabilities can improve their chances of exploring their potential fully.
To address the situation effectively, policymakers must prioritize quality care, midwives, referral systems, community support, and the empowerment of women, accompanied by better quality data. While knowledge about preterm birth risks and challenges becomes increasingly available, using the existing resources efficiently remains a paramount concern. Initiatives that promote resource development for effective preterm care, better allocation of existing resources and parent engagement may ensure that millions of preterm babies thrive, and their potential unleased.
