Preterm birth in Zambia

Zambia: Preterm birth was 50,699 in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
50,699
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
30th
of 102 countries
All-time high
50,699
in 2020
All-time low
43,968
in 2010
Years of data
11
2010–2020

Preterm birth in Zambia, 2010–2020

020.0k40.0k60.0k2010201520202010: 44.0k2011: 44.8k2012: 45.4k2013: 45.9k2014: 46.3k2015: 46.9k2016: 47.7k2017: 48.4k2018: 49.2k2019: 49.9k2020: 50.7k

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

The most recent figure for preterm birth in Zambia is 50,699, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 15.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, preterm birth in Zambia peaked at 50,699 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 43,968, in 2010.

Zambia ranks 30th of 102 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Preterm birth in Zambia, year by year

Annual values for Preterm birth (number) in Zambia, 2010 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2010 43,968 —
2011 44,829 +2.0%
2012 45,410 +1.3%
2013 45,933 +1.2%
2014 46,325 +0.9%
2015 46,934 +1.3%
2016 47,740 +1.7%
2017 48,417 +1.4%
2018 49,203 +1.6%
2019 49,936 +1.5%
2020 50,699 +1.5%

Zambia compared with similar countries

  • Zambia's 50,699 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50,699, 1.0× the median. (19 countries reporting)
  • Zambia's 50,699 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 93,469, 54% of the median. (17 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 46,870 43,968 49,936 10
2020s 50,699 50,699 50,699 1

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 27 Argentina 56,354 compare
  2. 28 United Kingdom 54,604 compare
  3. 29 Mali 54,599 compare
  4. 31 France 48,777 compare
  5. 32 Thailand 47,694 compare
  6. 33 Japan 46,075 compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More health data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is preterm birth in Zambia?
Preterm birth in Zambia was 50,699 in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest preterm birth recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 50,699 in 2020.
What is the lowest preterm birth recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 43,968 in 2010.
How does Zambia rank for preterm birth?
Zambia ranks 30th out of 102 countries with data for 2020.
Is preterm birth rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is up 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Zambia 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 Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/preterm-birth-number/zambia/

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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