Deaths in the first month of life, which are mostly preventable, represent 47 per cent of total deaths among children under five (2019 estimates). As mortality among children under five declines globally, deaths among these children are more and more concentrated in the first days of life. This makes focus on newborn care more critically than ever before.
In 2019, an estimated 2.4 million children died in their first month of life, which is approximately 6,700 newborns every day, with about a third of all neonatal deaths occurring within the first day after birth, and close to three-quarters occurring within the first week of life.
Despite ongoing challenges, major progress has been made in improving neonatal survival.
Neonatal mortality is on the decline globally with the world’s neonatal mortality rate falling from 37 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 17 per 1,000 live births in 2019. The result is a drop in neonatal deaths worldwide from 5.0 million in 1990 to 2.4 million in 2019. However, this decline of 52 per cent is slower than the rate of decline among children under five year of age (70 per cent).
The large majority of newborn deaths (80 per cent) are due to complications related to preterm birth, intrapartum events such as birth asphyxia, or infections such as sepsis or pneumonia.
The first 28 days
A large majority of newborn deaths could be prevented with proven interventions around the time of birth and improved care for small and sick newborns. Deaths in the first 28 days of life account for nearly half (48 per cent) of under-five deaths, and are declining at a slower rate than child deaths overall. Research conducted as part of the Every Newborn Action Plan and the 2014 Every Newborn Lancet series demonstrated that two key packages of interventions could prevent the majority of neonatal deaths.
Care around the time of birth could avert more than 40 per cent of neonatal deaths. Key interventions include care by a skilled birth attendant, emergency obstetric care, immediate care for every newborn baby (including breastfeeding support and clean birth practices such as cord and thermal care) and newborn resuscitation.
Care for small and sick newborns could avert 30 per cent of neonatal deaths. Key interventions include kangaroo mother care, prevention or management of neonatal sepsis, addressing neonatal jaundice and preventing brain damage after birth-related oxygen deprivation.
Source: Unicef
Link: https://data.unicef.org/topic/maternal-health/newborn-care/#more–1593
