In 2023, congenital malformations accounted for the largest portion of infant deaths in the United States. That year, there were around *** infant deaths from congenital malformations per 100,000 live births. The leading five causes of infant death in the U.S. were the same from 2019 to 2023.

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.

From 2019 to 2021, overall infant mortality rates in the U.S. were highest among infants of women who received late or no prenatal care and lowest among infants of women who received it in the first trimester. This statistic depicts the infant mortality rate in the United States from 2019 to 2021, by initiation of prenatal care and maternal race/ethnicity.

This dataset of U.S. mortality trends since 1900 highlights childhood mortality rates by age group for age at death. Age-adjusted death rates (deaths per 100,000) after 1998 are calculated based on the 2000 U.S. standard population. Populations used for computing death rates for 2011–2017 are postcensal estimates based on the 2010 census, estimated as of July 1, 2010. Rates for census years are based on populations enumerated in the corresponding censuses. Rates for noncensus years between 2000 and 2010 are revised using updated intercensal population estimates and may differ from rates previously published. Data on age-adjusted death rates prior to 1999 are taken from historical data (see References below). Age groups for childhood death rates are based on age at death. SOURCES CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, historical data, 1900-1998 (see https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality_historical_data.htm); CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, mortality data (see http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/deaths.htm); and CDC WONDER (see http://wonder.cdc.gov). REFERENCES National Center for Health Statistics, Data Warehouse. Comparability of cause-of-death between ICD revisions. 2008. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality/comparability_icd.htm. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital statistics data available. Mortality multiple cause files. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/vitalstatsonline.htm. Kochanek KD, Murphy SL, Xu JQ, Arias E. Deaths: Final data for 2017. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 68 no 9. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2019. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_09-508.pdf. Arias E, Xu JQ. United States life tables, 2017. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 68 no 7. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2019. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_07-508.pdf. National Center for Health Statistics. Historical Data, 1900-1998. 2009. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality_historical_data.htm.

Infant Mortality Rate for the United States was 5.50000 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Infant Mortality Rate for the United States reached a record high of 25.90000 in January of 1960 and a record low of 5.50000 in January of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Infant Mortality Rate for the United States - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Data on infant, neonatal, postneonatal, fetal, and perinatal mortality rates by selected characteristics of the mother. Please refer to the PDF or Excel version of this table in the HUS 2019 Data Finder (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/contents2019.htm) for critical information about measures, definitions, and changes over time. SOURCE: NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, public-use Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set, public-use Fetal Death File, and public-use Birth File. For more information on the National Vital Statistics System, see the corresponding Appendix entry at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus19-appendix-508.pdf.

From 2019 to 2021, there were over ** infant deaths per 1,000 live births among non-Hispanic Black women who were obese before pregnancy in the United States. This statistic illustrates the rate of infant mortality in the United States from 2019 to 2021, by maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and race/ethnicity.

This layer shows State wise Birth rate, Death rate & Infant Mortality rate (2009 & 2019)Source of data: https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/economicsurvey/doc/stat/tab82.pdfNote: Andhra Pradesh includes Telangana for the year 2009 and Jammu & Kashmir includes Ladakh for the year 2019, Birth rate & death rate per 1000 population and IMR is infant deaths per 1000 live births.This web layer is offered by Esri India, for ArcGIS Online subscribers. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know via content@esri.in.

Prayer, Politics, and Policy Related to Age-Adjusted Cancer, Heart Disease, Infant Mortality and COVID-19 Death Rates, U.S. States 2018-2021 Daily Prayer Lipka and Wormald, 2016, Pew Research Center Trump Vote 2016 CNN, 2016 Median family Income/cost of living Moneyrates.com, 2019. Income Inequality (Gini) U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 Physicians Per population National Center for Health Statistics, 2019. Percent Urban U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Unemployment U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016 Public Health Expenditures Per Population National Association of County and City Health Officials, 2019. Age-adjusted Mortality Rates National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, 2018-2021 Infant Mortality Rate National Center for Health Statistics, 2018-2019 Influenza immunizations and fruit consumption Centers for Disease Control Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2024

From 2019 to 2021, there were around 19 infant deaths per 1,000 live births among non-Hispanic Black women in the United States who smoked during pregnancy. In comparison, the infant mortality rate among Black women who did not smoke while pregnant was 5.16 per 1,000 live births. This statistic depicts the rate of infant mortality in the United States from 2019 to 2021 among women who smoked or not during pregnancy, by race/ethnicity.

Moldova, Republic of - Infant Mortality Rate for the Republic of Moldova was 13.50000 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Moldova, Republic of - Infant Mortality Rate for the Republic of Moldova reached a record high of 49.10000 in January of 1971 and a record low of 12.40000 in January of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Moldova, Republic of - Infant Mortality Rate for the Republic of Moldova - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Saint Kitts and Nevis - Infant Mortality Rate for St. Kitts and Nevis was 14.30000 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Saint Kitts and Nevis - Infant Mortality Rate for St. Kitts and Nevis reached a record high of 58.50000 in January of 1971 and a record low of 12.90000 in January of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Saint Kitts and Nevis - Infant Mortality Rate for St. Kitts and Nevis - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Effective June 28, 2023, this dataset will no longer be updated. Similar data are accessible from CDC WONDER (https://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10-provisional.html).

Deaths involving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with a focus on ages 0-18 years in the United States.

This dataset is no longer updated as of April 2023.

Basic Metadata Note: The Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Rate is infant deaths (under one year of age) due to SIDS per 1,000 live births, by geography. Data set includes registered deaths only. Numerator represents infant's race/ethnicity. Denominator represents mother's race/ethnicity.

**Blank Cells: Rates not calculated for fewer than 5 events. Rates not calculated in cases where zip code is unknown.

***API: Asian/Pacific Islander. ***AIAN: American Indian/Alaska Native.

Sources: California Department of Public Health, Center for Health Statistics, Office of Health Information and Research, Vital Records Business Intelligence System, 2016. Prepared by: County of San Diego, Health & Human Services Agency, Public Health Services, Community Health Statistics Unit, 2019.

Codes: ICD‐10 Mortality code R95.

Data Guide, Dictionary, and Codebook: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/CHS/Community%20Profiles/Public%20Health%20Services%20Codebook_Data%20Guide_Metadata_10.2.19.xlsx

Interpretation: "There were 5 SIDS deaths per 1,000 live births in Geography X".

Number of deaths and mortality rates, by age group, sex, and place of residence, 1991 to most recent year.

Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North Korea) - Infant Mortality Rate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was 14.50000 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North Korea) - Infant Mortality Rate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea reached a record high of 55.10000 in January of 1996 and a record low of 13.10000 in January of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North Korea) - Infant Mortality Rate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

This statistic shows the 20 countries* with the highest infant mortality rate in 2024. An estimated 101.3 infants per 1,000 live births died in the first year of life in Afghanistan in 2024. Infant and child mortality Infant mortality usually refers to the death of children younger than one year. Child mortality, which is often used synonymously with infant mortality, is the death of children younger than five. Among the main causes are pneumonia, diarrhea – which causes dehydration – and infections in newborns, with malnutrition also posing a severe problem. As can be seen above, most countries with a high infant mortality rate are developing countries or emerging countries, most of which are located in Africa. Good health care and hygiene are crucial in reducing child mortality; among the countries with the lowest infant mortality rate are exclusively developed countries, whose inhabitants usually have access to clean water and comprehensive health care. Access to vaccinations, antibiotics and a balanced nutrition also help reducing child mortality in these regions. In some countries, infants are killed if they turn out to be of a certain gender. India, for example, is known as a country where a lot of girls are aborted or killed right after birth, as they are considered to be too expensive for poorer families, who traditionally have to pay a costly dowry on the girl’s wedding day. Interestingly, the global mortality rate among boys is higher than that for girls, which could be due to the fact that more male infants are actually born than female ones. Other theories include a stronger immune system in girls, or more premature births among boys.

Rank, number of deaths, percentage of deaths, and age-specific mortality rates for the leading causes of death, by age group and sex, 2000 to most recent year.

The child mortality rate in the United States, for children under the age of five, was 462.9 deaths per thousand births in 1800. This means that for every thousand babies born in 1800, over 46 percent did not make it to their fifth birthday. Over the course of the next 220 years, this number has dropped drastically, and the rate has dropped to its lowest point ever in 2020 where it is just seven deaths per thousand births. Although the child mortality rate has decreased greatly over this 220 year period, there were two occasions where it increased; in the 1870s, as a result of the fourth cholera pandemic, smallpox outbreaks, and yellow fever, and in the late 1910s, due to the Spanish Flu pandemic.

Historical chart and dataset showing Virgin Islands (U.S.) life expectancy by year from 1960 to 2023.