The health of mothers and that of newborn babies is inseparable. Saving newborn lives depends on a continuum of care before, during and after birth, and should start with adolescent girls before they become mothers.
While child death rates overall have been reduced by about 14 per cent over the past decade, the death rate of children during the first month of life has remained relatively constant at around 30 per 1,000 births.
Recent research has shown that babies born to the poorest mothers are 30 per cent more likely to die than babies born to the richest mothers, and newborns in rural areas in developing countries are 20 per cent more likely to die than those in urban areas. The continuing high rate of newborn deaths is one of the world's most neglected health problems, but also crucial is the fact that healthy newborns are likely to enjoy better health in childhood and later life.
There is a misconception that newborn care depends on expensive, high-tech equipment and staff. In fact key actions for saving newborn lives are simple, affordable and can be counted on one hand:
- Promote the health of mothers and treat complications in pregnancy
- Ensure skilled attendance at birth
- Breastfeed immediately and exclusively
- Keep the baby warm
- Be vigilant in preventing, detecting and treating infections
