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.

Historical dataset showing Canada infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

The infant mortality rate in the United States, for children under the age of one (twelve months), was 60 deaths per thousand births in 1935. Approximately six percent of children born in 1935 did not survive past their first birthday. Over the course of the next 85 years, this number has dropped significantly, and the rate has reached its lowest point ever in the period between 2015 and 2020, at six deaths per thousand births. Figures have been below ten since the 1990s.

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 dataset showing U.S. infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

In 2021, the infant mortality rate in the United Kingdom was four deaths one year per 1,000 live births, one of the lowest infant mortality rate in this period. Infant mortality has fallen considerably since 1900, when there were 150 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

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 September of 2025.

Historical dataset showing North America infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

Crude death rate : The ratio of the number of deaths during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1 000 population Infant mortality rate : The ratio of the number of deaths of children under one year of age during the year to the number of live births in that year. The value is expressed per 1 000 live births. Description copied from catalog.inspire.geoportail.lu.

Number of infant deaths and infant mortality rates, by age group (neonatal and post-neonatal), 1991 to most recent year.

The average for 2021 based on 187 countries was 20 deaths per 1000 live births. The highest value was in Sierra Leone: 78 deaths per 1000 live births and the lowest value was in San Marino: 1 deaths per 1000 live births. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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.

In 2023, the infant mortality rate in India was at about 24.5 deaths per 1,000 live births, a significant decrease from previous years. Infant mortality as an indicatorThe infant mortality rate is the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1,000 live births. This rate is an important key indicator for a country’s health and standard of living; a low infant mortality rate indicates a high standard of healthcare. Causes of infant mortality include premature birth, sepsis or meningitis, sudden infant death syndrome, and pneumonia. Globally, the infant mortality rate has shrunk from 63 infant deaths per 1,000 live births to 27 since 1990 and is forecast to drop to 8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births by the year 2100. India’s rural problemWith 32 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, India is neither among the countries with the highest nor among those with the lowest infant mortality rate. Its decrease indicates an increase in medical care and hygiene, as well as a decrease in female infanticide. Increasing life expectancy at birth is another indicator that shows that the living conditions of the Indian population are improving. Still, India’s inhabitants predominantly live in rural areas, where standards of living as well as access to medical care and hygiene are traditionally lower and more complicated than in cities. Public health programs are thus put in place by the government to ensure further improvement.

United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Low Income Countries was 42.80000 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Low Income Countries reached a record high of 170.30000 in January of 1964 and a record low of 42.80000 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Low Income Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on September of 2025.

Historical dataset showing World infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Caribbean Small States was 16.69658 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Caribbean Small States reached a record high of 62.07140 in January of 1960 and a record low of 14.04995 in January of 2020. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Caribbean Small States - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on September of 2025.

This is a source dataset for a Let's Get Healthy California indicator at https://letsgethealthy.ca.gov/. Infant Mortality is defined as the number of deaths in infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births. Infant mortality is often used as an indicator to measure the health and well-being of a community, because factors affecting the health of entire populations can also impact the mortality rate of infants. Although California’s infant mortality rate is better than the national average, there are significant disparities, with African American babies dying at more than twice the rate of other groups. Data are from the Birth Cohort Files. The infant mortality indicator computed from the birth cohort file comprises birth certificate information on all births that occur in a calendar year (denominator) plus death certificate information linked to the birth certificate for those infants who were born in that year but subsequently died within 12 months of birth (numerator). Studies of infant mortality that are based on information from death certificates alone have been found to underestimate infant death rates for infants of all race/ethnic groups and especially for certain race/ethnic groups, due to problems such as confusion about event registration requirements, incomplete data, and transfers of newborns from one facility to another for medical care. Note there is a separate data table "Infant Mortality by Race/Ethnicity" which is based on death records only, which is more timely but less accurate than the Birth Cohort File. Single year shown to provide state-level data and county totals for the most recent year. Numerator: Infants deaths (under age 1 year). Denominator: Live births occurring to California state residents. Multiple years aggregated to allow for stratification at the county level. For this indicator, race/ethnicity is based on the birth certificate information, which records the race/ethnicity of the mother. The mother can “decline to state”; this is considered to be a valid response. These responses are not displayed on the indicator visualization.

Number of infant deaths and infant mortality rate, by age (neonatal and post-neonatal) and sex, 1991 to most recent year.

The infant mortality rate in Japan, for children under the age of one year old, was 166 deaths per thousand births in 1920. This means that for all babies born in 1920, just under 17 percent did survive past their first birthday. This rate decreased gradually and consistently over the next century, and today, Japan has one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world, with approximately 99.8% of all babies surviving past their first birthday.

Infant mortality rate is number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births. Data are for Santa Clara County residents. The measure is summarized for total county population, by race/ethnicity and Asian/Pacific Islander subgroups. Data are presented for single years at county level and pooled years combined for population subgroups. Source: Santa Clara County Public Health Department, 2007-2015 Birth Statistical Master File; Santa Clara County Public Health Department, VRBIS, 2007-2015. Data as of 05/26/2017.METADATA:Notes (String): Lists table title, sourceYear (String): Year of death. Pooled data years are used for certain categories to meet the minimum data requirements.Category (String): Lists the category representing the data: Santa Clara County is for total population, race/ethnicity: African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino and White (non-Hispanic White only), and Asian/Pacific Islander subgroups: Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Pacific Islanders.Rate per 1,000 live births (Numeric): Infant mortality rate is number of infant (under the age of 1 year) deaths in a year per 1,000 live births in the same time period.