Simple Measures Could Save One Million Babies Annually: Shocking Discovery

Scientists have discovered eight straightforward, cheap ways to prevent nearly a million stillbirths annually among expectant mothers worldwide.

These interventions could help prevent an estimated 566,000 stillbirths and 5.2 million premature or small births with low birth weight, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), according to researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

The eight interventions include taking aspirin, nutrient supplements, balanced protein supplements, treating syphilis, providing education for smoking cessation, preventing malaria during pregnancy, administering progesterone vaginally, and treating an asymptomatic bacterial infection.

Estimated costs of implementing these measures would be around $1.1bn by 2030, according to the new four-paper series published in The Lancet journal.

Of the 135 million babies born alive in 2020, one in four, or about 35 million, were born premature or very small for their age. This group is now referred to as small vulnerable newborns (SVN), with most born in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, according to the study series.

Scientists warn that progress for reducing preterm births and low-weight births is off track. While the Global Nutrition Target aims to reduce the number of low-birthweight babies to 30% below the 2012 baseline by 2030, the estimated annual rate of reduction is only 0.59%.

The study calls for urgent measures to improve the quality of care for pregnant women and newborns, specifically scaling up pregnancy interventions in 81 LMICs. The researchers estimate that targeting these countries could prevent roughly a third of stillbirths and a fifth of global newborn deaths.

In addition to these interventions, scientists urge better data collection to track progress and improve accountability. “Despite several global commitments and targets aimed at reducing SVN outcomes since 1990, every fourth baby in the world is ‘born too small’ or ‘born too soon’,” said study lead author Per Ashorn from Tampere University in Finland. “We need national actors, with global partners, to urgently prioritise action, advocate and invest,” Dr Ashorn added.

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