The Lancet Small Vulnerable Newborn Series: science for a healthy start

A quarter of world's newborns are preterm or small for gestational age, which can make them vulnerable to early death and lifelong ill health. A group of scientists from Tampere University, Johns Hopkins University, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University College London, University of Botswana, Aga Khan University, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation are coordinating a geographically and professionally diverse consortium of scientists, practitioners, policy makers, and other stakeholders, to produce a new article series for The Lancet, focused on the small vulnerable newborn.

The series articles aim to clarify the terminology, summarise knowledge on small vulnerable newborns, and provide a scientific basis for action and demand for national and global commitments to the provision of a healthy start to life for every baby.

Although deaths in children younger than 5 years have declined substantially in the past 30 years, more than 5 million children still die every year. Almost half of these deaths occur during the first month of life, which underlines how progress in reducing neonatal mortality has been much slower than that for older children. In some countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, there have been increases in neonatal deaths during the past three decades. Less visible, but as important for families and society, are an estimated 2.6 million third-trimester stillbirths each year. About 20 million babies are born each year with low birthweight (<2500 g), 15 million are preterm, and 23 million newborns are small for gestational age. In addition to increased mortality, all of these children have a higher risk of chronic health problems throughout childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, resulting in loss of human capital and ill health, even for the next generation. There is a compelling need for added investment in fetal and newborn health.

The project is funded by Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)

• Center for Child Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University
• Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• MARCH Center, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
• UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Botswana
• Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health East Africa, Aga Khan University
• Child Health and Development, Children's Investment Fund Foundation