Preterm Facts and Figures

  • Worldwide, an estimated 15 million babies are born preterm each year. In 2015, preterm birth was responsible for nearly 1 million deaths – World Health Organization.
  • More than 26,000 Australian babies are born preterm each year.
  • Preterm birth is defined as birth before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy (and after 20 weeks)
  • Rates of preterm birth among Aboriginal Australians and disadvantaged communities are approximately double.
  • Preterm birth is the single greatest cause of death and disability in children up to five years of age in the developed world.
  • Preterm birth is associated with perinatal mortality, long-term neurological disability (including cerebral palsy), admission to neonatal intensive care, severe morbidity in the first weeks of life, prolonged hospital stay after birth, readmission to hospital in the first year of life and increased risk of chronic lung disease.
  • Babies whose mothers smoked during pregnancy were more likely to be born preterm (13%) than those whose mothers did not smoke during pregnancy (8%).
  • Other characteristics associated with increased likelihood of preterm birth included:
    • babies born in multiple births: 63% of twins and all (100%) of other multiples (triplets and higher) were preterm, compared with 7% of singleton babies
    • babies born to mothers usually residing in more remote areas: 13% in very remote areas compared with 8% in major cities
    • babies of younger (<20 years) and older (≥40 years) mothers: 11% and 12% were preterm, compared with 8% of babies with mothers aged 20–39 years.
  • Immediate care for a single newborn with a birth weight of less than 750 grams typically costs the health system* $216,000 and in the range 1.5kg – 2kg around $59,000. *WA DOH data.