The latest WHO report indicates that there were 4·5 million maternal and newborn deaths globally in 2022. Of these, 1·9 million were stillbirths and 2·3 million were neonatal deaths (age <28 days), with nearly 60% occurring in low-income and middle-income countries.1 Infants born preterm (<37 weeks of gestation), small for gestational age (SGA), or who have low birthweight (LBW; <2500 g) have a substantially higher risk of maternal and child mortality;2 these conditions are collectively responsible for up to 80% of all neonatal deaths worldwide.
The Lancet Global Health published a clinical update in Infectious Disease on 18 Feb 2026.
The item focuses on The rising burden of small vulnerable newborns in China: demanding targeted interventions.
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