“Almost 11 million of these premature babies are born in Africa and Asia, where many do not have access to effective care,” said lead author Dr Lale Say, from the Department of Reproductive Health and Research at the World Health Organization.

“A baby weighing less than 2000g (born at approximately 32 weeks of gestation) has little chance of survival if born in a developing country,” said Dr. Say.  

He added: “On the other hand, a baby born at 32 weeks in a developed country has similar survival chances as one born at full term.”

An average of 10% of births worldwide occur before 37 weeks gestation, in other words are premature, although this rate ranges between 3.8% for countries in central Asia and 17.5% in southern Africa.

When comparing high-income regions, North America has a much higher rate (10.6%) of premature birth than Europe (6.2%).

“Considering the dramatic rise in preterm births over the past 20 years shown in countries with accurate data, preterm birth continues to represent a significant health problem. Improving access to effective care, in particular in developing countries, must remain a priority,” Dr Say said.