Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth - the first-ever national, regional and global estimates of preterm birth- shows preterm birth is on the rise in most countries, and is now the second leading cause of death globally for children under five, after pneumonia. The report shows rapid change is possible and identifies priority actions for everyone which are now a priority to achieve MDG 4, to reduce child deaths by two-thirds by 2015. The report is a joint effort of almost 50 international, regional and national organizations, led by the March of Dimes, PMNCH, Save the Children and WHO in support of the UNSG’s Every Woman Every Child effort.

Some 15-million babies worldwide – more than one in ten births – are born too early, according to a new United Nations-backed report, which calls for steps such as ensuring the requisite medicines and equipment and training health staff to promote child survival.

Report by The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (part of the World Health Organisation)