Two million infants each year die the same day they are born in developing countries due to a lack of simple measures. Simple measures, such as immunizing women against tetanus and providing skilled midwives could reduce mortality by 70 percent, the Save the Children charity said on Tuesday.

In a report called “The State of the World’s Mothers 2006,” the international charity said that of more than 10 million children under the age of 5 who die each year in the developing world, around one in five die within the first 24 hours of life.

“The first hours, days and weeks of a baby’s life are critical, yet only a tiny minority of babies in poor countries receive proper heath care during this highly vulnerable period,” Save the Children chief executive Jasmine Whitbread said in a statement.

“The most simple health measures…can mean the difference between life and death.” Most newborn deaths are the result of preventable or treatable conditions such as infections, birth complications or low birth weight.

The report said newborn deaths were so common in many parts of the developing world that parents put off naming their babies until they are between 1 week and 3 months old.

Save the Children also published a 2006 update of its “Mothers’ Index” of the best and worst countries in the world to be a mother and child.

For the seventh year in a row, Scandinavian countries dominated the top tier of the rankings with Sweden taking first place. The United States and Britain were in joint tenth place, while Niger was ranked as the worst country.

Save the Children described the large number of newborn deaths as “one of the world’s most neglected health problems” and urged governments around the world to increase political and financial aid to help prevent further deaths.

It called for more investment to give young women in poor countries better access to education, nutrition and contraceptives, and for improved used of tetanus immunizations, skilled birth attendants and education about warmth and breastfeeding for infants.