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.

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.

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.

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

In 2023, there were 20,162 infant deaths reported in the United States. This is a large decrease from 29,505 infant deaths in the year 1995. Infant deaths are those among infants under one, and don't include fetal deaths.

United States - Infant Mortality Rate for High Income Countries was 4.10000 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Infant Mortality Rate for High Income Countries reached a record high of 36.40000 in January of 1960 and a record low of 4.10000 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 High Income Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 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 December of 2025.

United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Middle Income Countries was 25.96226 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Middle Income Countries reached a record high of 148.60000 in January of 1960 and a record low of 25.92850 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 Middle Income Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

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

United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Upper Middle Income Countries was 11.50000 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Upper Middle Income Countries reached a record high of 85.70000 in January of 1969 and a record low of 9.10000 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 Upper Middle Income Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

Infant Mortality Rate for Trinidad and Tobago was 17.20000 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Infant Mortality Rate for Trinidad and Tobago reached a record high of 18.60000 in January of 2020 and a record low of 17.20000 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Infant Mortality Rate for Trinidad and Tobago - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on December of 2025.

This dataset of U.S. mortality trends since 1900 highlights the differences in age-adjusted death rates and life expectancy at birth by race and sex. 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). Life expectancy data are available up to 2017. Due to changes in categories of race used in publications, data are not available for the black population consistently before 1968, and not at all before 1960. More information on historical data on age-adjusted death rates is available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality/hist293.htm. 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 Dominican Republic was 28.40000 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Infant Mortality Rate for the Dominican Republic reached a record high of 30.40000 in January of 2020 and a record low of 28.40000 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Infant Mortality Rate for the Dominican Republic - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

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

Infant Mortality Rate: All Income Levels for Middle East and North Africa was 17.80000 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Infant Mortality Rate: All Income Levels for Middle East and North Africa reached a record high of 161.97658 in January of 1963 and a record low of 17.80000 in January of 2020. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Infant Mortality Rate: All Income Levels for Middle East and North Africa - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

In 2023, the infant mortality rate in deaths per 1,000 live births in the United States was 5.5. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 20.4, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

Public Health England (PHE) has updated the mortality profile

The profile brings together a selection of mortality indicators from other PHE data tools, including the https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/public-health-outcomes-framework/data">Public Health Outcomes Framework, making it easier to assess outcomes across a range of causes of death.

The following indicators have been updated with data for 2016 to 2018:

• under 75 mortality rate for all causes
• under 75 mortality rate from heart disease
• under 75 mortality rate from stroke
• under 75 mortality rate from breast cancer (females only)
• under 75 mortality rate from colorectal cancer
• under 75 mortality rate from injuries

The infant mortality rate for 2016 to 2018 has also been updated in both the https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/public-health-outcomes-framework/data">Public Health Outcomes Framework and in the mortality profile.

If you would like to send us feedback on the tool please contact profilefeedback@phe.gov.uk

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

Rank, number of deaths, percentage of deaths, and mortality rates for the leading causes of infant death (under one year of age), by sex, 2000 to most recent year.

In 2023, congenital malformations accounted for around 20 percent of infant deaths in the United States. That year there, were around 4,030 infant deaths from congenital malformations. The leading five causes of infant death in the U.S. were the same from 2020 to 2023.