An estimated 15 million babies are born too early every year. That is more than 1 in 10 babies. Approximately 1 million children die each year due to complications of preterm birth. Many surviving babies face a lifetime of disability, including learning disabilities and visual and hearing problems.

On World Prematurity Day 2022, 17th November 2022, The Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, World Health Organization Geneva is launching new recommendations based on new evidence that has emerged that can improve the care of preterm or low birth weight babies. There are 25 recommendations which substantially expand the ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘how’ for improving the survival, health and well-being of  preterm and low birth weight babies. This includes kangaroo mother care and involving families in the care of their babies right from the time of birth.

At the launch event, expert speakers will present the recommendations. They will also discuss the evidence that underpins them, their potential impact, implementation challenges, and what the recommendations mean for families and services.