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Maternal & Child Health (MCH) > Needs Assessment > Infant Mortality Fact Sheet Infant Mortality Fact Sheet

Definition: Infant Mortality is the number of babies who die during the first year of life per 1,000 live births based on the birth cohort.

Healthy People 2010 Goal :

  • 4.5 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Consequences:

  • Infant death is a critical indicator of the health of a population. It reflects the overall state of maternal health as well as the quality and accessibility of primary health care available to pregnant women and infants.

Causes:

  • The top three causes of infant deaths among all races and among whites are disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight, congenital anomalies and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
  • Among blacks, the leading causes of infant deaths include disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight followed by congenital anomalies and accidents.

Prevalence:

 

Table 1: 2002 Infant Mortality Rates: Indiana

Live Births

Infant Deaths

Infant Death Rates

All Races

84,839

649

7.6

White

74,013

479

6.5

Black

9,243

144

15.6

Other

1,583

26

16.4

Hispanic

6,145

49

8

Source: Indiana State Department of Health

Trends in Infant Mortality:

  • The overall Indiana infant mortality was 7.6 per 1000 live births (In the U.S., the rate was 7 per 1000 live births).
  • A significant disparity is being observed between white and black infant mortality rates. Black infants are more than two times more likely to die than white infants.
  • Between 1999 and 2002, the overall, white and black infant mortality rates in Indiana decreased considerably, but were still short of meeting the Healthy People 2010 goal of 4.5 deaths per 1000 live births (See table).

Infant Mortality Rate Chart
Source: Indiana State Department of Health

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