Overview
A newborn infant, or neonate, is a child under 28 days of age. During these first 28 days of life, the child is at the highest risk of dying. Approximately 75% of all newborn deaths occur during the first week of life, and up to 45% occur within the first 24 hours.
In the African Region, 1.1 million newborn deaths occurred during 2022, almost half the global total of 2.3 million. The main causes include prematurity, birth asphyxia and trauma, lower respiratory infections, and sepsis and other infectious conditions. These causes account for nearly 80% of the deaths in this age group.
Of the 11 countries with preterm birth rates of over 15%, all but two are in the Region. Half of the Region’s newborn deaths occur in just five countries – Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, and Uganda
Over 70% of newborn deaths can be prevented through quality care preconception, as well as during pregnancy, childbirth and post natally. Improving care around the time of birth and the first week of life, including care for small and/or sick newborns, with nurturing care, offers the greatest survival benefit, whilst also placing newborns on a trajectory to thrive and reach their full potential.
The high rates of preventable death and poor health and well-being of newborns and children under the age of five are indicators of the uneven coverage of life-saving interventions.
For example, nearly one third of all newborns do not receive care from skilled health personnel during and immediately after birth. Close to one in two newborns do not benefit from early initiation of breastfeeding, within one hour of birth. Early initiation of breastfeeding can protect the newborn from acquiring infections, significantly reduces neonatal mortality, and increases the likelihood of exclusive breastfeeding.
Suboptimal newborn health outcomes are also reflective of inadequate social and economic development. Poverty, poor nutrition and insufficient access to clean water and sanitation are all harmful factors, as is insufficient access to quality health services.
Every year nearly 45% of all under 5 child deaths are among newborn infants, babies in their first 28 days of life or the neonatal period.
Three quarters of all newborn deaths occur in the first week of life.
In developing countries nearly half of all mothers and newborns do not receive skilled care during and immediately after birth.
Up to two thirds of newborn deaths can be prevented if known, effective health measures are provided at birth and during the first week of life.
The main causes of newborn deaths are prematurity and low-birthweight, infections, asphyxia (lack of oxygen at birth) and birth trauma. These causes account for nearly 80% of deaths in this age group.
Most newborn deaths take place in developing countries where access to health care is low. Most of these newborns die at home, without skilled care that could greatly increase their chances for survival.
In 2014, 194 Member States of the Sixty-seventh World Health Assembly endorsed Every Newborn Action Plan (Resolution WHA67.10) to end preventable stillbirths and newborn mortality and contribute to reducing maternal mortality and morbidity. In 2015, the closely related Strategies toward ending preventable maternal mortality (EPMM) was launched. In 2019, the two initiatives to end preventable stillbirths and maternal and newborn deaths were better aligned, and in 2020, ENAP/EPMM globally targets for 2025 were established.
In 2023, the first Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP) and Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality (EPMM) global progress report was released, and provides an overview of progress made, the remaining challenges, and priority actions. WHO together with UNFPA and UNICEF, with ENAP/EPMM global partners, are supporting member states to implement acceleration plans to meet the 2025 and ultimately the SDG targets for maternal and newborn mortality. .
A substantial focus of work of the global ENAP/EPMM partnership, renamed Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere in July 2024, is on increasing access to and quality of integrated maternal and newborn care to end preventable stillbirths as well as maternal and newborn illness and deaths, and to improve every woman and newborn’s experience of care, everywhere.
