WHO laments preterm birth now the leading cause of child deaths
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Nigeria has moved to second place in the global ranking of countries with the highest maternal deaths, says a new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which also laments preterm birth is now the leading cause of child deaths worldwide.
The WHO 2023 Progress Report shows Nigeria accounts for 29 per cent of the global toll in 290,000 maternal deaths cases every year and may miss the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target by 2030.
Nigeria also ranks highest globally in incidences of neonatal and child deaths.
The report said
- Eight other countries have high maternal, neonatal and stillbirths – Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Tanzania.
- Maternal and infant mortality rates in Nigeria have stagnated since 2015, approximately occurring every year.
- Based on current trends, over 60 countries, including Nigeria, may miss maternal, newborn, and stillborn mortality reduction targets in the SDGs by 2030.
- The trend on disruptions was cause by the coronavirus pandemic
- Nigeria is in the second position as more of its women continued to die from pregnancy-related problems in the past three years.
- Other factors include growing poverty, worsening humanitarian conditions, and inadequate funding in countries across the world.
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152m preterm babies die in 10 years
A joint report by the WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and PMNCH said no fewer than 152 million premature babies were born across the world between 2010 and 2020, with an estimated 13.4 million born preterm in 2020 and nearly one million dying from preterm complications, per Vanguard.
The report released by United Nations (UN) agencies and partners explained the figure is equivalent to around one in 10 babies born early (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) worldwide.
The report title, “Born too Soon: Decade of Action on preterm birth” – produced by the world’s largest alliance for women, children, and adolescents – sounded the alarm on a “silent emergency” of preterm birth, long under-recognised in its scale and severity, adding there is an “impeding progress in improving children’s health and survival.”
It contained updated estimates from WHO and UNICEF, and was prepared with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on the prevalence of preterm births.
The report said overall, it found that preterm birth rates have not changed in any region in the world in the past decade, with 152 million vulnerable babies born too soon from 2010 to 2020.
“Preterm birth is now the leading cause of child deaths, accounting for more than one in 5 of all deaths of children occurring before their 5th birthday.
“Preterm survivors can face lifelong health consequences, with an increased likelihood of disability and developmental delays.”
According to the report, too often, where babies are born determines if they survive. It noted that only one in 10 extremely preterm babies (less than 28 weeks) survive in low-income countries, compared to more than nine in 10 in high-income countries.
“Gaping inequalities related to race, ethnicity, income, and access to quality care determine the likelihood of preterm birth, death, and disability, even in high-income countries.’’
Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have the highest rates of preterm birth and preterm babies in these regions face the highest mortality risk, according to the report.
It noted these two regions together account for more than 65 per cent of preterm births globally; and stressed the impacts of conflict, climate change and environmental damage, COVID-19, and rising living costs are increasing risks for women and babies everywhere.
“For example, air pollution is estimated to contribute to 6 million preterm births each year. Nearly one in 10 preterm babies was born in the 10 most fragile countries affected by humanitarian crises, according to a new analysis in the report.”
The report sought increased investments, mobilising international and domestic resources to optimise maternal and newborn health, and ensuring high-quality care when and where needed.
