Abstract
The incidence of preterm birth (gestational age <37 weeks) worldwide was 15·2 million in 2019, occurring in 11% of livebirths. In 2015, an estimated 20·5 million livebirths globally were low birthweight (LBW; weight <2500g at birth). The survival, health, growth, and neurodevelopment of preterm and LBW infants lags behind that of full-term infants and special care is needed for these vulnerable infants. Preterm and LBW infants are susceptible to impaired respiration, difficulty feeding, growth failure, poor body temperature regulation, and infection. Globally, preterm birth accounts for 36·1% of neonatal deaths and 17·7% of deaths among children younger than 5 years. Complications of preterm birth are the leading cause of death in children before their fifth birthday. An estimated 0·94 million deaths worldwide were due to preterm birth in 2019.