World Prematurity Day 2025: Support for the tiniest fighters

Today is World Prematurity Day - a day dedicated to raising awareness of preterm birth and the profound impact it has on families worldwide. 

Preterm birth refers to when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Without appropriate medical intervention, these babies face a high risk of suffering life-threatening conditions.

Today we acknowledge the resilience of premature babies, support the families navigating the challenges of prematurity and recognise the work carried out by healthcare staff who work tirelessly to care for these babies. It is an opportunity to reflect on the critical importance of high quality neonatal and maternity care, the complexities of managing pre term births and our shared duty to learn from adverse outcomes to prevent future harm. 

In England and Wales, approximately 60,000 babies are born prematurely each year, representing roughly 8% of all births.

The 2025 WHO Campaign: Strong starts for a hopeful future

In 2025, the World Health Assembly officially added World Prematurity Day to the World Health Organisation (WHO) international calendar, recognising its pivotal importance for improving child survival and well-being. On their World Prematurity Day campaign page, WHO says:

The 2025 theme, "Give preterm babies a strong start for a hopeful future", aligns with WHO's broader Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures campaign. The campaign includes calls to action, urging countries to: 

1. Invest in neonatal care facilities;
2. Improve maternal health to help to prevent preterm birth and for earlier detection of problems;
3. Support families to care for premature babies; and
4. Promote equity to guarantee that every baby receives the best possible opportunity for a bright future, regardless of their circumstances or background.

On this World Prematurity Day, we recognise all the tiny fighters showing remarkable strength, the families who support them through the most challenging of times, and the dedicated healthcare staff who provide expert care to give every premature baby the best possible start in life.

Our role and responsibility

Cases involving prematurity represent some of the most complex and high-value claims faced by NHS Trusts. The consequences of substandard care in these cases can be devastating. Children born prematurely who suffer preventable brain injury may require lifelong care. 

As advisers to NHS Trusts on maternity cases, our role extends beyond dealing with individual cases. We have an opportunity to use our knowledge to support Trusts to improve their services and reduce preventable harm, something that we do not lose sight of in every case we deal with.

Our specialist team

Please get in touch if we can provide any advice or assistance to your healthcare organisation. 

Please also visit our maternity resources hub for resources and information about our specialist team, which includes our contact details.