Every 17 November, the world marks World Prematurity Day to draw attention to the 13 million babies born too soon each year. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 11% of babies are born too soon, and complications of preterm birth are now the leading cause of death among children under five. Here, the burden of prematurity collides with the devastation of war, where mothers give birth amid bombardment, displacement, and hunger.
In Gaza, more than 4,000 babies are born each month. During the first half of 2025, one in three was premature, underweight, or required intensive neonatal care. In Sudan, conflict has displaced 14 million people; one in eight babies is born too soon, and mothers face a tenfold higher risk of dying in childbirth. In Yemen, years of blockade have made preterm birth a leading cause of infant death, with stillbirths 50% higher than the global average. These babies—born too soon, into war—reveal both the enduring power of life and the fragility of health systems under fire.
Childbirth does not pause for conflict. Pregnancies unfold under siege—without food, clean water, or electricity. Hospitals that once provided safe deliveries are now damaged or without power. Caesarean sections are performed by flashlight; premature babies are wrapped in foil for warmth. Midwives and doctors struggle heroically to keep newborns alive with almost nothing.
Cruellest driver
Malnutrition has become one of the cruellest drivers of prematurity. Undernourished mothers are more likely to deliver early or lose their babies within hours. In war zones, survival depends on access. When hospitals are targeted, fuel is blocked, or supply chains are severed, it is mothers and newborns who pay the price.
Yet even beyond conflict, the region’s high burden reflects deeper structural inequities—maternal under-nutrition, weak referral systems, limited neonatal care, and shortages of trained staff. In countries such as Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, too many women deliver without skilled support, and too many babies die unseen.
Countries cannot rebuild their health systems while fighting for survival. The solution must come from the international community—through sustained humanitarian action, protected development assistance, and unwavering political will.
