Preterm birth in Italy

Italy: Preterm birth was 30,771 in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
30,771
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
39th
of 102 countries
All-time high
42,180
in 2010
All-time low
30,771
in 2020
Years of data
11
2010–2020

Preterm birth in Italy, 2010–2020

010.0k20.0k30.0k40.0k2010201520202010: 42.2k2011: 41.1k2012: 40.0k2013: 38.3k2014: 37.1k2015: 35.9k2016: 34.9k2017: 33.8k2018: 32.4k2019: 31.4k2020: 30.8k

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2020, preterm birth in Italy stood at 30,771. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.

The figure is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 27.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, preterm birth in Italy peaked at 42,180 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 30,771, in 2020.

That places Italy 39th out of 102 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Preterm birth in Italy, year by year

Annual values for Preterm birth (number) in Italy, 2010 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2010 42,180 —
2011 41,091 -2.6%
2012 40,026 -2.6%
2013 38,306 -4.3%
2014 37,115 -3.1%
2015 35,888 -3.3%
2016 34,942 -2.6%
2017 33,825 -3.2%
2018 32,415 -4.2%
2019 31,373 -3.2%
2020 30,771 -1.9%

Italy compared with similar countries

  • Italy's 30,771 is above the median for high income countries, which is 6,023, 5.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
  • Italy's 30,771 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6,023, 5.1× the median. (39 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 36,716 31,373 42,180 10
2020s 30,771 30,771 30,771 1

Countries ranked near Italy

  1. 36 Venezuela 38,540 compare
  2. 37 Rwanda 37,258 compare
  3. 38 Benin 32,495 compare
  4. 40 Canada 29,384 compare
  5. 41 Poland 27,197 compare
  6. 42 Spain 24,945 compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More health data for Italy

All data for Italy →

Frequently asked questions

What is preterm birth in Italy?
Preterm birth in Italy was 30,771 in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest preterm birth recorded in Italy?
The highest recorded value was 42,180 in 2010.
What is the lowest preterm birth recorded in Italy?
The lowest recorded value was 30,771 in 2020.
How does Italy rank for preterm birth?
Italy ranks 39th out of 102 countries with data for 2020.
Is preterm birth rising or falling in Italy?
Over the last ten years it is down 27.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Italy 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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Preterm birth in Italy. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/preterm-birth-number/italy/

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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