Facts and Figures about Preterm births in Tanzania

Preterm birth is a public health problem in Tanzania.

Prematurity is the leading cause of mortality in the first month of life in Tanzania, with one in three newborn deaths due to preterm birth complications(4).

Tanzania ranks twelfth in the world for the number of preterm births(5).

Every year, 210,300 babies are born before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed(5). Of these babies, 13,900 die every year(5).

Babies born too soon are between six and 26 times more likely to die during the first four weeks of their lives than babies born at term(2). In addition, preterm survivors often suffer from lifelong disabilities, such as visual and hearing impairments, chronic lung  disease, long term cardiovascular ill-health, learning and behavioural impairments(3). 

Prematurity has a far-reaching impact on their development and on their health as children and adults.Many of these deaths could be prevented, even in low-resource countries like Tanzania.

Number of newborn deaths in the first month of life

1(2012)39,000 Mortality rate in the first month of life per babies born alive1(2012)21/1000Preterm birth rate7(2012)11.4%Rank for preterm birth rate7(2012)70Number of babies born preterm5 (2012)210,300Rank for number of babies born preterm5 (2012)12Number of deaths due to preterm birth complications6 (2012)13,900Share of newborn deaths caused by preterm birth complications4 (2012)36%Demand for family planning satisfied858%Antenatal care of four or more visits8 (2010)43%Skilled attendant at delivery8 (2008)49%Mothers who received postnatal care within two days of birth9 (2010)31%Women initiating breastfeeding within one hour of birth8 (2010)49%Exclusive breastfeeding for infants in first six months8 (2010)50% References1. UNICEF (2013), “Committing to child survival: a promise renewed”, New York: UNICEF2. Katz J. et. al. (2013), “Mortality risk in preterm and small-for-gestational-age infants in low-income and middle-income countries: a pooled country analysis”, Lancet, Vol 382:9890, pp 417-253. March of Dimes, PMNCH, Save the Children, WHO (2012), “Born Too Soon: the global action report on preterm births”, Geneva: WHO  4. Calculated from estimated number of newborn deaths from UNICEF (2013), “Committing to child survival: a promise renewed”, New York: UNICEF and estimated number of deaths from direct complications of preterm birth in 2012 from Liu L, Johnson HL, Cousens S, Lawn JE. et al. (2012), “Global, regional, and national causes of child mortality in 2000–2010: an updated systematic analysis”, The Lancet, Vol 379:9832, pp 2151-61.  N.B. Number of deaths from direct complications of preterm birth in 2012 were calculated assuming no change in the relative proportion of deaths by cause since 2010.5.   Calculated from Blencowe H, Cousens S, Oestergaard M, Chou D, Moller AB, Narwal R, Adler A, Garcia CV, Rohde S, Say L, Lawn JE. (2012), “National, regional and worldwide estimates of preterm birth in the year 2010 with time trends since 1990 for selected countries: a systematic analysis and implications”, The Lancet , Vol 379:9832, pp 2162-72; and UN Population Estimates and  Projections Section, “World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision”.6. Calculated from Liu L, Johnson HL, Cousens S, Lawn JE. et al. (2012), “Global, regional, and national causes of child mortality in 2000–2010: an updated systematic analysis”, The Lancet, Vol 379:9832, pp 2151-61. N.B. Number of deaths from direct complications of preterm birth in 2012 were calculated assuming no change in the relative proportion of deaths by cause since 2010.7. Figure calculated from Blencowe H, Cousens S, Oestergaard M, Chou D, Moller AB, Narwal R, Adler A, Garcia CV, Rohde S, Say L, Lawn JE. (2012), “National, regional and worldwide estimates of preterm birth in the year 2010 with time trends since 1990 for selected countries: a systematic analysis and implications”, The Lancet , Vol 379:9832, pp 2162-728. Figure from Countdown to 2015 (2013), “Accountability for Maternal, Newborn & Child Survival: The 2013 Update”, Geneva: WHO.9. National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) [Tanzania] and ICF Macro (2011), “Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey 2010”, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: NBS and ICF Macro