title: Addressing the challenge of neonatal mortality.
abstract: Reducing neonatal mortality remains a challenge with an estimated 3.0 million neonatal deaths in 2011, three-quarters of these in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. The leading causes of neonatal death globally are complications of preterm birth, intrapartum-related causes and infections. While post-neonatal, under-5 deaths fell by 47% between 1990 and 2011, neonatal deaths only fell by 32% and they now account for 43% of all under-5 child deaths. This article reviews the progress in reducing neonatal deaths in high-burden countries and presents an overview of known effective interventions to reduce neonatal mortality and the challenges faced in implementing these in high-burden settings. Effective action is possible to reduce neonatal mortality, but innovative approaches to implementation will be required if these preventable deaths are to be avoided.
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. hblencowe@gmail.com
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blencowe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cousens
mesh_terms: D019090:Case Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D014943:Global Health; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D012307:Risk Factors