Quick links to the contents of this article:

• Incidence of preterm birth Worldwide
• Incidence of preterm birth by Country
  • Incidence of preterm birth in the USA
  • Incidence of preterm birth in the UK
  • Incidence of preterm birth in Australia
  • Incidence of preterm birth in India
  • Incidence of preterm birth in Sweden
  • Incidence of preterm birth in HongKong
  • Incidence of preterm birth in Zimbabwe
  • Incidence of preterm birth in New Zealand
  • Incidence of preterm birth in Canada
  • Incidence of preterm birth in Ireland
  • Incidence of preterm birth in Various Countries in Europe

Region	Number of Preterm Births	Preterm Birth Rates (%)
World Total	12,870,000	9.6%
Africa	4,047,000	11.9%
North America	480,000	10.6%
Asia	6,907,000	9.1%
LA & the Caribbean	933,000	8.1%
Oceania Australia & New Zealand	20,000	6.4%
Europe	466,000	6.2%

The estimated worldwide incidence of preterm birth in 2005, shown in the table, represent the data reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in a systematic review aiming to understand the global extent of this specific public health problem. Note these figures were only based on singleton births so are likely to underestimate the actual number of preterm births globally

Incidence of premature birth by country

The incidence of preterm birth is on the rise. Discover the rate in your country!

If your country does not appear in the list please contact us and let us know. We have so many things to do that sometimes we have to wait until someone asks.

Incidence of premature birth in the United States of America

General Incidence

• 499,008 infants -- were born prematurely (less than 37 weeks gestation) in 2003

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

Rates of preterm birth

• In 1995: 11.0% of live births was born preterm
• In 2004: 12.5% of live births was born preterm
• In 2006: 12.8% of live births was born preterm

Source: March of Dimes - Peristats

Rates of preterm birth in 2004 by race

• African American: 17.6%
• Native Americans: 13.2%
• Hispanics: 12%
• Non-Hispanic white: 11.5%
• Asians: 10.4%

(Reedy, 2007)

Rates of preterm birth in 2006 by race

• African American: 18.3%
• Native Americans: 14.1%
• Hispanics: 12.1%
• Non-Hispanic white: 11.6%
• Asians: 10.7%

(Reedy, 2007)

Incidence of premature birth in the United Kingdom

General Incidence

• 80,000 babies were born prematurely annually
• 48,799 babies were born prematurely in England and Wales, 2005

Rates of preterm birth

• In 2005: 7.7% of live births was born preterm (England & Wales)
• Between 1980 – 2004: 5.8% preterm births (singleton births) (Scotland)

Incidence of Preterm Birth in Australia

General Incidence Rates

• 23,953 babies were born preterm in 2007
• 24,576 babies were born preterm in 2009

Rates of preterm birth total

• In 1992: 6.9% of live births was born preterm
• In 2006: 8.1% of live births was born preterm
• In 2007: 8.1% of live births was born preterm
• In 2009: 8.2% of live births was born preterm

Rates of preterm birth: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

• In 2006: 13.7% of live births was born preterm
• In 2007: 13.7% of live births was born preterm
• In 2009: 13.1% of live births was born preterm

Rates of low birth weight total

• In 1992: 6.3% of live births was low birth weight
• In 2006: 6.4% of live births was low birth weight
• In 2007: 6.2% of live births was low birth weight
• In 2009: 6.2% of live births was low birth weight

Rates of low birth weight: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

• In 1992: 12.9% of live births was born low birth weight
• In 2006: 12.4% of live births was born low birth weight
• In 2007: 12.5% of live births was born low birth weight
• In 2009: 12.0% of live births was born low birth weight

Rates of preterm birth: Indigenous versus Non-Indigenous Australians in 200

• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander rate of preterm birth: 13.7%
• Non-Indigenous rate of preterm birth: 5.1%
• Rate of low birth weight in liveborn babies: 12.4%
• Non-Indigenous: 6.2%

(Lancaster, Huang, & Elvis, 1995) (Laws, Abeywardana, Walker, & Sullivan, 2007) (Laws & Sullivan, 2009) Li Z, McNally L, Hilder L & Sullivan EA 2011. Australia’s mothers and babies 2009. Perinatal statistics series no. 25. Cat. no. PER 52. Sydney: AIHW National Perinatal Epidemiology and Statistics Unit.

Incidence of Preterm Birth in India

General Incidence

• The rate of preterm birth in India is approximately 21%

(Singh, Singh, & Shikha, 2007)

Incidence of Preterm Birth in Sweden

General Incidence

• The rate of preterm birth in Sweden is approximately 6%

(Morken, Kallen, Hagberg, & Jacobsson, 2005)

Incidence of Preterm Birth in Hong Kong Chinese

General Incidence

• The rate of preterm birth in Hong Kong Chinese is approximately 7.5%

(Leung, Roach, & Lau, 1998)

Incidence of Preterm Birth in Zimbabwe

General Incidence

• The rate of preterm birth in Zimbabwe is approximately 16.5%

(Shingairai, Siobon, & Godfrey, 2004)

Incidence of Preterm Birth in New Zealand

Rates of preterm birth total

• In 1980: 4.3% of live births was born preterm
• In 1999: 5.9% of live births was born preterm

(Craig, Thompson, & Mitchell, 2002)

Incidence of Preterm Birth in Canada

Rates of preterm birth total

• In 1981: 6.4% of live births was born preterm
• In 2004: 8.2% of live births was born preterm

Public Health Agency of Canada

Incidence of Preterm Birth in Ireland

Rates of preterm birth total

• In 2009: 6% of live births was born preterm

Rates of low birth weight (LBW) total

• In 2009: 5% of live births was low birth weight

Perinatal Statistics Report 2009

Incidence of Preterm Birth in Various Countries in Europe

Rates of preterm birth total data from 2004

• In Austria: 11.4% of live births was born preterm
• In Germany: 8.9% of live births was born preterm
• In Finland: 5.6% of live births was born preterm
• In Latvia: 5.7% of live births was born preterm
• In Lithuania: 5.3% of live births was born preterm

European Perinatal Health Report