Researchers point to missed opportunities for improving preterm birth data.
Please confirm that you would like to log out of Medscape. If you log out, you will be required to enter your username and password the next time you visit.is one of the main risk factors for neonatal mortality among children younger than 5 years. Yet according to a new study, the international community has made few strides over the past decade when it comes to reducing the rates of preterm births and recording the related routine data.
Building on the WHO's last update on the topic, which was published in 2015, the researchers conducted an analysis that included 679 data points from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2020, from 103 countries and areas. They pointed out that global data on preterm births must be systematically updated so that suitable public policies can be designed and implemented. Preterm birth rates were estimated by using a hierarchical Bayesian framework that accounted for data quality differences.
Among those who have commented on the study is Anshu Banerjee, MD, PhD, director of the WHO Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Aging. He called for the adoption of strong and decisive measures to turn the situation around."These numbers show an urgent need for serious investment in services available to support and their families, as well as a greater focus on prevention — in particular, ensuring access to quality healthcare before and during every pregnancy.