Newborn deaths account for 47% of deaths among children under the age of 5 globally, resulting in 2.4 million lives lost each year. About one third of newborn deaths occur on the day of birth and close to three quarters occur within the first week of life. In addition, almost 2 million babies born with no signs of life at 28 weeks of pregnancy or more (stillbirths) and 295 000 maternal deaths ...

Understanding the Context

A newborn infant, or neonate, refers to a baby in the first 28 days of life, a period marked by the highest risk of morbidity and mortality. Enhancing neonatal survival and health and preventing avoidable deaths and stillbirths requires achieving high coverage of quality antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, and postnatal care for both mothers and newborns. Neonatal deaths, which occur ... Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing We lead WHO’s work on the life course so that every pregnant woman, mother, newborn, child, adolescent, and older person will survive, thrive and enjoy health and well-being.

Key Insights

This publication on WHO recommendations related to newborn health is one of four in a series; the others relate to maternal, child and adolescent health. The objective of this document is to make available WHO recommendations on newborn health in one easy-to-access document for WHO staff, policy-makers, programme managers, and health professionals. Home / Tools and toolkits / Your life, your health - Tips and information for health and well-being / Life phase / Newborns and children under 5 years / Caring for a newborn Newborn Health Unit Please note that this publication is being updated.This publication on WHO recommendations related to newborn health is one of four in a series; the others... Essential newborn care High-quality universal newborn health care is the right of every newborn everywhere. Babies have the right to be protected from injury and infection, to breathe normally, to be warm and to be fed.

Final Thoughts

All newborns should have access to essential newborn care, which is the critical care for all babies in the first days after ... WHO fact sheet on newborn mortality, including key facts, causes, priority strategies, newborn care and WHO response.