Infant, Newborn

New global estimates on preterm birth published

November 2018: New global estimates show that in 2014, approximately 10.6% of all live births globally were preterm. Published in the journal The Lancet Global Health, and co-authored by WHO and HRP staff, the study underlines the crucial need to safeguard the health and well-being of all women and girls, and their babies, throughout life – including through ensuring access to high quality and respectful healthcare services.

• Read more and view the estimates

A newborn infant, or neonate, is a child under 28 days of age. During these first 28 days of life, the child is at highest risk of dying. It is thus crucial that appropriate feeding and care are provided during this period, both to improve the child’s chances of survival and to lay the foundations for a healthy life.

• WHO's work on newborn health
• Every Newborn Action Plan
• Newborns: reducing mortality
  Fact sheet - February 2018

Every Newborn Action Plan

May 2018 -- The Every Newborn 2018 annual report, Reaching Every Newborn National 2020 Milestones, provides an up-to-date account of country progress reported by the 75 countries and territories who use the Every Newborn Tracking Tool. The report provides an in-depth look progress towards the eight Every Newborn Milestones identifying common areas of progress and challenges. The results show overall improvement across all national milestones demonstrating country level commitment to achieving the milestones in the Every Newborn Action Plan.

• Every Newborn Action Plan
• Reaching the every newborn national 2020 milestones
  Country progress, plans and moving forward

Making childbirth a positive experience

15 February 2018 | Launch of new WHO guideline on intrapartum care - Worldwide, about 140 million women give birth every year. Whilst much is known about the clinical management of labour and childbirth less attention is paid to what, beyond clinical interventions, needs to be done to make women feel safe, comfortable and positive about the experience. A new WHO guideline, launched today, contains 56 evidence-based recommendations detailing both the clinical and non-clinical care that is needed throughout labour and immediately afterwards for women and for newborns. One of the key recommendations in this guideline recognizes that every birth is unique, while some labours progress quickly, others don’t and unnecessary medical interventions should be avoided if the woman and her baby are in good condition.

• Read more and access the guideline