Preterm birth in Aotearoa

Preterm birth, when pēpi are born before 37 weeks, can happen to anyone. Some people have a higher chance than others due to their personal pregnancy and health history and/or their social circumstances. About 8%, or 1 in 12 of all births occur preterm in Aotearoa, affecting more than 4500 whānau each year.

Depending on how early a pēpi is born, outcomes range from being very well with no or few ongoing effects, to requiring intensive support for many weeks or months in a neonatal intensive care unit and possible longer-term impacts. Sadly, a few pēpi who are born early do not survive. The Collaborative is working to ensure that every whānau has the best chance of avoiding preterm birth, or the best outcome when preterm birth is unavoidable.

Impacts of preterm birth

Most pēpi who survive do well after preterm birth in Aotearoa. However, preterm birth remains a leading cause of pēpi death in Aotearoa with the chance of pēpi dying after preterm birth being greatest for those few born at the limits of survival (23 weeks and 0 days to 24 weeks and 6 days).

All pēpi born preterm will require some additional care and for those born very early, this may be many months in neonatal intensive care. During this time pēpi are likely to need help with breathing and feeding and avoiding infection. Some pēpi will have complications that increase their chance of longer-term effects on their development and health and wellbeing through life.

The impact of preterm birth reaches beyond the individual born preterm with significant psychological and economic costs to whānau, community, healthcare systems and society.