Preterm birth in Ghana

Ghana: Preterm birth was 72,182 in 2020. ▬ Flat

Latest (2020)
72,182
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
23rd
of 102 countries
All-time high
73,340
in 2015
All-time low
67,610
in 2010
Years of data
11
2010–2020

Preterm birth in Ghana, 2010–2020

020.0k40.0k60.0k80.0k2010201520202010: 67.6k2011: 69.2k2012: 70.7k2013: 71.7k2014: 71.9k2015: 73.3k2016: 72.2k2017: 70.0k2018: 71.6k2019: 72.0k2020: 72.2k

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

Ghana recorded 72,182 for preterm birth in 2020.

That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 6.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, preterm birth in Ghana peaked at 73,340 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 67,610, in 2010.

That places Ghana 23rd out of 102 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.

Preterm birth in Ghana, year by year

Annual values for Preterm birth (number) in Ghana, 2010 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2010 67,610 —
2011 69,169 +2.3%
2012 70,735 +2.3%
2013 71,709 +1.4%
2014 71,909 +0.3%
2015 73,340 +2.0%
2016 72,202 -1.6%
2017 70,045 -3.0%
2018 71,634 +2.3%
2019 72,002 +0.5%
2020 72,182 +0.2%

Ghana compared with similar countries

  • Ghana's 72,182 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50,699, 1.4× the median. (19 countries reporting)
  • Ghana's 72,182 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 93,469, 77% of the median. (17 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 71,036 67,610 73,340 10
2020s 72,182 72,182 72,182 1

Countries ranked near Ghana

  1. 20 Iran 92,793 compare
  2. 21 Russia 86,193 compare
  3. 22 Mozambique 81,099 compare
  4. 24 Nepal 67,465 compare
  5. 25 Colombia 66,180 compare
  6. 26 Germany 63,564 compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More health data for Ghana

All data for Ghana →

Frequently asked questions

What is preterm birth in Ghana?
Preterm birth in Ghana was 72,182 in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest preterm birth recorded in Ghana?
The highest recorded value was 73,340 in 2015.
What is the lowest preterm birth recorded in Ghana?
The lowest recorded value was 67,610 in 2010.
How does Ghana rank for preterm birth?
Ghana ranks 23rd out of 102 countries with data for 2020.
Is preterm birth rising or falling in Ghana?
Over the last ten years it is up 6.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Ghana data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Preterm birth (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).

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Preterm birth in Ghana. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/preterm-birth-number/ghana/

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About this data

Indicator
Preterm birth (number)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
120 places, 1,320 data points, 2010–2020
Last refreshed