Forum on Child and Family StatisticsInfant Mortality
Infant mortality is the death of an infant before their first birthday. Infant mortality is related to the underlying health of the mother, public health practices, socioeconomic conditions, and the availability and use of appropriate healthcare for infants and pregnant women.23. 52 In 2021, the five leading causes of infant death were congenital malformations, disorders related to short gestation and low birthweight, sudden infant death syndrome, unintentional injuries, and maternal complications of pregnancy.53 Together, these five causes of death accounted for 55% of infant deaths.53 Despite medical advances and public health efforts, disparities in infant mortality persist, particularly by race and Hispanic origin, and maternal age.
Figure 28: Infant mortality rate by maternal race and Hispanic origin, 2017–2021
NOTE: AIAN = American Indian or Alaska Native; NH = non-Hispanic origin; NHOPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Infant deaths are deaths before an infant's first birthday. Race and Hispanic origin refer to the mother's race and Hispanic origin. The 1997 U.S. Office of Management and Budget standards for data on race and ethnicity were used to classify people into one of the following five racial groups: White, Black or African American, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. All categories are single race. Data on race and Hispanic origin are collected and reported separately. People of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set.
- The infant mortality rate decreased from 6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2017 to 5 per 1,000 in 2021.
- From 2017 to 2021, the infant mortality rate decreased for infants of American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic and White, non-Hispanic women. The rate did not change significantly for infants of Asian, non-Hispanic; Black, non-Hispanic; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic; and Hispanic women.
- In 2021, the infant mortality rate was highest for infants of Black, non-Hispanic women (11 per 1,000), followed by infants of Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic (8 per 1,000) and American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic (7 per 1,000) women. Rates were lowest for infants of Hispanic (5 per 1,000), White, non-Hispanic (4 per 1,000), and Asian, non-Hispanic (4 per 1,000) women.
Figure 29: Infant mortality rate by maternal age, 2017–2021
NOTE: Infant deaths are deaths before an infant's first birthday.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set.
- Infant mortality rates tended to be highest among the youngest and oldest age groups. In 2021, infants of adolescents ages 15–19 had the highest rate (9 deaths per 1,000 live births), which was more than twice the rate of infants of women ages 30–34 (4 per 1,000).
23 Osterman, M. J. K., Hamilton, B. E., Martin, J. A., Driscoll, A. K., & Valenzuela, C. P. (2023). Births: Final data for 2021. National Vital Statistics Reports, 72(1). https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc:122047
52 Ely, D. M., & Driscoll, A. K. (2022). Infant mortality in the United States, 2021: Data from the period linked birth/infant death file. National Vital Statistics Reports, 72(11). https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc:131356.
53 Data are adapted from Healthy People 2030. For more information, see: Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (n.d.). Increase the proportion of pregnant women who receive early and adequate prenatal care—MICH 08. Healthy People 2030. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available from: https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/pregnancy-and-childbirth/increase-proportion-pregnant-women-who-receive-early-and-adequate-prenatal-care-mich-08.
Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics
