Preterm birth rate in Africa (WHO region)
Africa (WHO region): Preterm birth rate was 10.07 in 2020. ▬ Flat
Latest (2020)
10.07
Change on year
up 0.0%
Rank
6th
of 17 groups
All-time high
10.07
in 2020
All-time low
10.03
in 2010
Years of data
11
2010–2020
Preterm birth rate in Africa (WHO region), 2010–2020
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2020, preterm birth rate in Africa (WHO region) stood at 10.07. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, preterm birth rate in Africa (WHO region) peaked at 10.07 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 10.03, in 2010.
Preterm birth rate in Africa (WHO region), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 10.03 | — |
| 2011 | 10.04 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 10.04 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 10.03 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 10.04 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 10.04 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 10.04 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 10.05 | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 10.06 | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 10.06 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 10.07 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 10.04 | 10.03 | 10.06 | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.07 | 10.07 | 10.07 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Africa (WHO region)
- 3 Pakistan 14.36 compare
- 4 Palestine, State of 13.15 compare
- 5 India 13.04 compare
- 6 South Africa 12.96 compare
- 7 Ethiopia 12.91 compare
- 8 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 12.4 compare
- 9 Côte d'Ivoire 11.73 compare
More health data for Africa (WHO region)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 20,578 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 12,202 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 179,400 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 20,261 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, annual growth rate -8.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, annual growth rate 160.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, annual growth rate 23.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases 179,400 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases 12,202 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases 20,578 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is preterm birth rate in Africa (WHO region)?
- Preterm birth rate in Africa (WHO region) was 10.07 in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest preterm birth rate recorded in Africa (WHO region)?
- The highest recorded value was 10.07 in 2020.
- What is the lowest preterm birth rate recorded in Africa (WHO region)?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.03 in 2010.
- How does Africa (WHO region) rank for preterm birth rate?
- Africa (WHO region) ranks 6th out of 17 groups with data for 2020.
- Is preterm birth rate rising or falling in Africa (WHO region)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Africa (WHO region) data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Preterm birth rate (per 100 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).