10 Oct 2023 • India recorded 3.02 million preterm births in 2020 - the highest worldwide - accounting for over 20 per cent of all preterm births globally, according to a study published in the The Lancet journal. The research by authors from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK, showed that over 50 per cent of all preterm births in 2020 occurred in just eight countries.

Globally, an estimated 13.4 million babies were born early in 2020, with nearly nearly one million dying from preterm complications, the authors said.

The data is equivalent to around 1 in 10 babies born early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy worldwide, they said.

The researchers stress the importance of quality antenatal care to detect and manage complications, ensure accurate pregnancy dating, and delay labor when necessary.

Source: ET HealthWorld | Read full story