World Bank urged to redefine life expectancy to include first crucial nine months in fetus

A recent public health report has urged the World Bank to redefine life expectancy starting from the time of conception and not the time of birth, as the unborn individual was quite susceptible to risks inside the mother's womb.

International public health experts said that the present definition of World Bank's key poverty indicator omits risks to the fetus and is unfair to children born in areas at risk to disasters and already disadvantaged by poverty, hunger and social deprivation.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that there are 200 million plus conceptions globally each year, mostly among disadvantaged groups in disadvantaged areas.

The first nine months of life between conception and birth are vulnerable to risks, not just medical but employment, agricultural, security, energy and climate risks, but have been ignored till now in the UN disaster and climate change discourse.

It is important to consider these nine months in order to prevent global toll and to reduce the risks to the unborn infant.