Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2009 Sep-Oct;124(5):670-81.
doi: 10.1177/003335490912400509.

The challenge of infant mortality: have we reached a plateau?

Marian F MacDorman  1 , T J Mathews
Affiliations

The challenge of infant mortality: have we reached a plateau?

Marian F MacDorman et al. Public Health Rep. 2009 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

Objectives: Infant mortality is a major indicator of the health of a nation. We analyzed recent patterns and trends in U.S. infant mortality, with an emphasis on two of the greatest challenges: (1) persistent racial and ethnic disparities and (2) the impact of preterm and low birthweight delivery.

Methods: Data from the national linked birth/infant death datasets were used to compute infant mortality rates per 100,000 live births by cause of death (COD), and per 1,000 live births for all other variables. Infant mortality rates and other measures of infant health were analyzed and compared. Leading and preterm-related CODs, and international comparisons of infant mortality rates were also examined.

Results: Despite the rapid decline in infant mortality during the 20th century, the U.S. infant mortality rate did not decline from 2000 to 2005, and declined only marginally in 2006. Racial and ethnic disparities in infant mortality have persisted and increased, as have the percentages of preterm and low birthweight deliveries. After decades of improvement, the infant mortality rate for very low birthweight infants remained unchanged from 2000 to 2005. Infant mortality rates from congenital malformations and sudden infant death syndrome declined; however, rates for preterm-related CODs increased. The U.S. international ranking in infant mortality fell from 12th place in 1960 to 30th place in 2005.

Conclusions: Infant mortality is a complex and multifactorial problem that has proved resistant to intervention efforts. Continued increases in preterm and low birthweight delivery present major challenges to further improvement in the infant mortality rate.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Infant mortality rate: United States, 2000–2006
Figure 2
Figure 2
Infant mortality rates by race and ethnicity of mother: United States, 1995, 2000, and 2005
Figure 3
Figure 3
Percentage of live births and infant deaths by birthweight in grams: United States, 2005
Figure 4
Figure 4
Percentage of live births and infant deaths by weeks of gestation: United States, 2005
Figure 5
Figure 5
Total and preterm-related infant mortality rates by race/ethnicity of mother: United States, 2005
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Wegman ME. Infant mortality in the 20th century: dramatic but uneven progress. J Nutr. 2001;131:S401–8. - PubMed
    1. Achievements in public health, 1900–1999: healthier mothers and babies. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1999;48(38):849–58. - PubMed
    1. Guyer B, Freedman MA, Strobino DM, Sondik EJ. Annual summary of vital statistics: trends in the health of Americans during the 20th century. Pediatrics. 2000;106:1307–17. - PubMed
    1. MacDorman MF, Martin JA, Mathews TJ, Hoyert DL, Ventura SJ. Explaining the 2001–02 infant mortality increase: data from the linked birth/infant death data set. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2005 Jan 24;53:1–23. - PubMed
    1. Mathews TJ, MacDorman MF. Infant mortality statistics from the 2005 period linked birth/infant death data set. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2008 Jul 30;57:1–32. - PubMed