Prematurity in France accounted for 6.7% of live births in 2024, compared with 7.3% in 2012, according to the perinatal health surveillance bulletin published by Santé publique France on July 8, 2026. The overall rate is declining, but extreme prematurity is increasing. Here is what the official data say, what they cover, and what they concretely mean for the families concerned.
What is prematurity according to the official definition?
The World Health Organization defines a premature baby as one born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. In France, the term is more often expressed in weeks of amenorrhea, counted from the first day of the last menstrual period.
The WHO distinguishes three subcategories, which have neither the same prognosis nor the same care requirements.
- Very preterm birth: birth before 28 weeks.
- Very preterm birth: from the 28th to the 32nd week.
- Moderate to late preterm birth: from the 32nd to the 37th week.
The last category is by far the largest. It accounts for most premature births, which explains why a change in the overall rate mainly reflects developments within this group.
How many babies are born prematurely in France?
6.7% of live births in 2024, or approximately one child in fifteen. The figure comes from the national perinatal and early childhood health surveillance bulletin published by Santé publique France, covering the period from 2012 to 2024.
The trend is downward. The rate stood at 7.3% in 2012. Santé publique France notes a marked decline between 2019 and 2020, a period that coincided with the health measures introduced in response to the Covid-19 epidemic. Several research teams observed the same decline in other European countries, although no single mechanism has reached consensus.
This decline is all the more notable because known risk factors are increasing. The average age of mothers at childbirth reached 31.1 years in 2024. The proportion of mothers aged 35 and over rose from 19.1% in 2012 to 25.8% in 2024. Obesity, diabetes, and gestational hypertension are also increasing.
To put these figures into the broader demographic context, our article on birth rates in France according to INSEE data provides details on changes in the number of births.
Prematurity in France: an overall decline, but rising extreme prematurity
The two trends coexist and are not contradictory. The rate of births between 22 and 27 weeks of amenorrhea rose from 0.31% in 2012 to 0.43% in 2024.
In absolute terms, these births remain rare. But the increase is real, and it concerns the situations requiring the most intensive care and follow-up. Several factors contribute to it: changes in neonatal resuscitation practices, which now care for babies born earlier than in the past, and the increase in multiple pregnancies and maternal conditions.
In other words, the decline in the overall rate is mainly due to moderate prematurity, occurring between 32 and 36 weeks. This breakdown by subcategory is essential: a single figure conceals opposing trends.
How does France compare with the rest of the world?
The WHO estimates that 13.4 million children were born prematurely worldwide in 2020, or more than one child in ten. Complications related to prematurity cause approximately 900,000 deaths each year, mainly in countries where access to neonatal care is limited.
National rates range from 4% to 16% depending on the region of the world. At 6.7%, France is at the lower end of this range, although it is not among the best-performing countries in Europe.
What risk factors have been identified?
The WHO highlights a point that is often misunderstood: in many cases, the cause is not identified. A premature birth does not always have an explanation, and failing to find a cause does not mean that a mistake was made.
Documented factors include multiple pregnancies, infections, chronic maternal conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, as well as a genetic component. Advanced maternal age and a history of preterm birth are also relevant.
These factors are statistical, not deterministic. A pregnancy involving several of them can reach full term, while a pregnancy with no known risk factors can end prematurely.
Corrected age: the reference point that changes everything
This is the most useful concept for parents of a premature baby to know. Corrected age is calculated from the expected due date, rather than the actual date of birth.
A baby born at 32 weeks is eight weeks early. At 6 months of life, their corrected age is 4 months. Motor and sensory development are assessed according to this corrected age.
The French National Authority for Health explicitly adopts this principle in its February 2020 recommendation on identifying neurodevelopmental disorders. It states that developmental milestones should be assessed “using corrected age until the age of 2, in relation to the due date.” After age 2, chronological age is used again.
This correction prevents two opposite mistakes: worrying about a delay that is not actually a delay, and being falsely reassured when a genuine gap exists. Motor development milestones, such as the age at which a baby rolls over, should all be interpreted using this framework.
Enhanced follow-up, and why it is needed
The same HAS recommendation classifies very preterm birth, defined as birth before 32 weeks of amenorrhea, among the risk factors warranting particular vigilance, with a grade B level of evidence. It also includes children born before 37 weeks who have intrauterine growth restriction or low birth weight.
Moderate prematurity, from 32 to 33 weeks and 6 days, and late prematurity, from 34 to 36 weeks and 6 days, are classified as moderate risk. This classification does not predict an outcome: it determines the intensity of follow-up, not a prognosis.
This follow-up complements the general screening system described in our article on identifying neurodevelopmental disorders before age 3.
Premature children are also among those most exposed to severe forms of bronchiolitis. The arrangements for the annual prevention campaign are detailed in our article on preventing bronchiolitis in infants.
What this changes in everyday life at home
Returning home after a stay in a neonatal unit is often accompanied by increased, and sometimes excessive, vigilance. Three principles can help families return to a normal routine.
The first is to use corrected age for everything related to development, and actual age for the vaccination schedule, which follows the date of birth.
The second is not to restrict floor exploration time as a precaution. A premature baby has the same motor needs as any other child, shifted in time. The principle of free movement applies in the same way, on a firm, flat surface. The choice of this surface is detailed in our comparison of materials for baby foam play mats. The most common usage mistakes are listed in our article on using baby play mats in everyday life.
The third is to follow safe sleep rules without exception. They apply in exactly the same way and are detailed in our article on the French National Authority for Health’s safe sleep recommendations.
Key takeaways
Prematurity in France affected 6.7% of births in 2024, down from 2012, but extreme prematurity is increasing. The data come from Santé publique France and are updated annually. For families, the practical reference point remains corrected age, which applies until age 2, together with follow-up whose intensity depends on the gestational age at birth.
Sources
- Santé publique France, Perinatal and early childhood health in France between 2012 and 2024, national bulletin, published July 8, 2026.
- World Health Organization, Preterm birth, fact sheet, updated May 10, 2023.
- French National Authority for Health, Neurodevelopmental disorders: identification and referral of children at risk, clinical practice recommendation, February 2020.
