Ending Newborn Deaths

Save The Children has published a report on child mortality, which shows one half of first day deaths around the world could be prevented if the mother and baby had access to free health care and a skilled midwife. Since 1990, the number of children who die every year before the age of five has almost halved – from 12.6 million to 6.6 million....  This reduction in child mortality has been achieved through action on immunisation, family planning, nutrition and treatment of childhood illnesses, as well as improving economies. The research also found an additional 1.2 million babies are stillborn each year, their heartbeats stopping during labor because of childbirth complications, maternal infections and hypertension.

This report shows that, in 2012, 2.9 million babies died within 28 days of being born: two out of every five child deaths. Of these, 1 million babies died within 24 hours, their first – and only – day of life. Causes of these deaths include premature birth, complications during birth and  infections.
Download the report.