The infant mortality rate in Pakistan decreased by 1.7 deaths per 1,000 live births (-3.28 percent) compared to the previous year. In 2023, the infant mortality rate thereby reached its lowest value in recent years. The infant mortality rate refers to the number of infants who do not survive past the first year of life, expressed as a value per 1,000 births.Find more statistics on other topics about Pakistan with key insights such as male smoking rate, health expenditure as a share of gross domestic product, and crude birth rate.

UNICEF's country profile for Pakistan, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

Graph and download economic data for Infant Mortality Rate for Pakistan (SPDYNIMRTINPAK) from 1960 to 2023 about mortality, infant, Pakistan, and rate.

In 1950, the infant mortality rate of Pakistan was estimated to be 280 deaths per thousand live births, meaning that approximately 28% of all babies born in that year would not survive past their first birthday. Infant mortality would decline steadily in Pakistan throughout the 20th century, with the largest decreases occurring in the 1950s and 1960s following the introduction of large scale health programs, as well as WHO-led vaccination campaigns which resulted in the eradication of malaria and smallpox in the 1950s and 1960s respectively. As health services have continued to expand and improve in Pakistan, infant mortality has continued its steady decline into the 21st century, although infant mortality remains relatively high at approximately sixty deaths per thousand live births in 2020.

Between 2020 and 2025, Pakistan had the highest infant mortality rate throughout South Asia, with an estimated 56 infant deaths for every one thousand live births. Comparatively, there were five infant deaths for every one thousand live births in the Maldives between 2020 to 2025.

In 2022, Pakistan had the highest infant mortality rate in the Asia-Pacific region, around 51 deaths per 1,000 live births. Japan and Singapore had the lowest infant mortality rates in APAC that year.

In 2022, the infant mortality rate in the United States was 5.4 out of every 1,000 live births. This is a significant decrease from 1960, when infant mortality was at around 26 deaths out of every 1,000 live births. What is infant mortality? The infant mortality rate is the number of deaths of babies under the age of one per 1,000 live births. There are many causes for infant mortality, which include birth defects, low birth weight, pregnancy complications, and sudden infant death syndrome. In order to decrease the high rates of infant mortality, there needs to be an increase in education and medicine so babies and mothers can receive the proper treatment needed. Maternal mortality is also related to infant mortality. If mothers can attend more prenatal visits and have more access to healthcare facilities, maternal mortality can decrease, and babies have a better chance of surviving in their first year. Worldwide infant mortality rates Infant mortality rates vary worldwide; however, some areas are more affected than others. Afghanistan suffered from the highest infant mortality rate in 2024, and the following 19 countries all came from Africa, with the exception of Pakistan. On the other hand, Slovenia had the lowest infant mortality rate that year. High infant mortality rates can be attributed to lack of sanitation, technological advancements, and proper natal care. In the United States, Massachusetts had the lowest infant mortality rate, while Mississippi had the highest in 2022. Overall, the number of neonatal and post neonatal deaths in the United States has been steadily decreasing since 1995.