Guide hub
Health across the life course — children, mothers and older people
Health from birth to older age — pregnancy, childhood, and ageing well.
Published 7 November 2026 · Last reviewed 7 November 2026 · Next review 7 May 2027
Direct answer: Health across the life course, in plain language: pregnancy and birth, the first years of life, childhood, and living well in older age. Each guide explains the population picture — not advice for any individual.
Chapter 1
Health across the life course — children, mothers and older people
Health is shaped across a life, and experiences in early life affect health decades later.
Children
The children guides start with Why the first five years matter — 4.9 million under-five deaths in 2024 — then Newborn care: the first 28 days, Breastfeeding and first foods, Clean water and children's health, and Child immunisation: the global schedule.
Mothers
The mother guides are Maternal health: the global picture — about 260,000 deaths in 2023, the conflict gap, and stillbirth — Antenatal care and why it matters, Safe childbirth: skilled care at birth, and Postnatal care: the weeks after birth.
Older people
The elders guides are Healthy ageing: living well as we age, Dementia awareness: what is known, Falls in older age: prevention, Loneliness and social connection, and Elder abuse awareness — 1 in 6 older adults experiences abuse.
Directory
All guides and tools in this hub
Every guide and tool in this hub, in one filterable list.
Why the first five years matter
4.9 million children died before age five in 2024. Why the first five years shape a whole life, and what the global figures say.
Published 6 November 2026 · Last reviewed 7 November 2026 · Next review 7 May 2027
Newborn care: the first 28 days
2.3 million newborns died in 2024 — 47% of under-five deaths. What the first 28 days are, and what WHO says protects newborns.
Published 6 November 2026 · Last reviewed 7 November 2026 · Next review 7 May 2027
Breastfeeding and first foods
Only about 47% of infants are exclusively breastfed. WHO's feeding recommendations and the global malnutrition figures, in plain language.
Published 6 November 2026 · Last reviewed 7 November 2026 · Next review 7 May 2027
Clean water and children's health
Diarrhoea kills about 443,832 children under five a year. How water, sanitation and hygiene shape children's health, in WHO's figures.
Published 6 November 2026 · Last reviewed 7 November 2026 · Next review 7 May 2027
Maternal health: the global picture
About 260,000 women died in pregnancy and childbirth in 2023. The global figures, the conflict gap, and stillbirth, in plain language.
Published 6 November 2026 · Last reviewed 7 November 2026 · Next review 7 May 2027
Antenatal care and why it matters
WHO recommends eight antenatal contacts, the first within 12 weeks. What antenatal care is, and why the four-visit figure is out of date.
Published 6 November 2026 · Last reviewed 7 November 2026 · Next review 7 May 2027
Safe childbirth: skilled care at birth
99% of births in high-income countries have skilled attendance, against 73% in low-income countries. What skilled care at birth means.
Published 6 November 2026 · Last reviewed 7 November 2026 · Next review 7 May 2027
Postnatal care: the weeks after birth
WHO recommends four postnatal contacts in the first six weeks. What postnatal care is, when it happens, and postnatal mental health.
Published 6 November 2026 · Last reviewed 7 November 2026 · Next review 7 May 2027
Healthy ageing: living well as we age
1 billion people were aged 60 and over in 2020, rising to 2.1 billion by 2050. What healthy ageing means, and what ageism costs.
Published 6 November 2026 · Last reviewed 7 November 2026 · Next review 7 May 2027
Falls in older age: prevention
About 842,000 people died from falls in 2023. The WHO figures, who is most at risk, and what Step Safely recommends.
Published 6 November 2026 · Last reviewed 7 November 2026 · Next review 7 May 2027
More hubs
Explore other themes
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mental health in plain language — understanding, support routes, and tackling stigma.
Vaccines
Vaccines in plain language — how they work, the schedules, and the official sources.
Awareness and Attitudes
Stigma, health literacy, skin health and awareness days.
Systems Explained
How housing, education, income, water and services shape health across a population.
Sources
Sources
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Where do I start?
Start with Why the first five years matter — then follow the guides for pregnancy, birth and childhood.
Where is pregnancy and birth covered?
See Antenatal care and why it matters and Safe childbirth: skilled care at birth.
What does this hub not do?
It explains the population picture. It does not advise any individual about their own health.