Preterm birth in Ireland

Ireland: Preterm birth was 4,186 in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
4,186
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
77th
of 102 countries
All-time high
4,607
in 2010
All-time low
4,128
in 2017
Years of data
11
2010–2020

Preterm birth in Ireland, 2010–2020

01.0k2.0k3.0k4.0k5.0k2010201520202010: 4.6k2011: 4.6k2012: 4.5k2013: 4.4k2014: 4.3k2015: 4.3k2016: 4.2k2017: 4.1k2018: 4.2k2019: 4.2k2020: 4.2k

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

Ireland recorded 4,186 for preterm birth in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, preterm birth in Ireland peaked at 4,607 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 4,128, in 2017.

That places Ireland 77th out of 102 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.

Preterm birth in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Preterm birth (number) in Ireland, 2010 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2010 4,607 —
2011 4,578 -0.6%
2012 4,500 -1.7%
2013 4,397 -2.3%
2014 4,331 -1.5%
2015 4,260 -1.6%
2016 4,191 -1.6%
2017 4,128 -1.5%
2018 4,223 +2.3%
2019 4,184 -0.9%
2020 4,186 +0.0%

Ireland compared with similar countries

  • Ireland's 4,186 is below the median for high income countries, which is 6,023, 70% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
  • Ireland's 4,186 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6,023, 70% of the median. (39 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 4,340 4,128 4,607 10
2020s 4,186 4,186 4,186 1

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 74 New Zealand 4,752 compare
  2. 75 Mongolia 4,443 compare
  3. 76 Gabon 4,347 compare
  4. 78 Georgia 3,808 compare
  5. 79 Denmark 3,671 compare
  6. 80 Slovakia 3,428 compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More health data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is preterm birth in Ireland?
Preterm birth in Ireland was 4,186 in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest preterm birth recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 4,607 in 2010.
What is the lowest preterm birth recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 4,128 in 2017.
How does Ireland rank for preterm birth?
Ireland ranks 77th out of 102 countries with data for 2020.
Is preterm birth rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Ireland 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 Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/preterm-birth-number/ireland/

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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