Saturday, August 08, 2015

Saving Babies?

Infant mortality rate in the United States remains one of the worst in the developed world, at three times the rate of Japan, Norway, and Sweden and double that of Ireland. The 2013 rate means that the U.S. is not only outdone by "first world" nations, but also some considered "second world."

5.96 out of every 1,000 U.S. babies died in 2013 during birth or their first year. This level was similar to the rate of 5.98 found in 2012, suggesting infant mortality has stalled.


The gap between white and black women is growing. Black women in 2013 had the highest infant mortality rate in the United States at 11.11 per 1,000 births. This is more than double the rate of white women (5.06). Further, the disparity in the infant mortality rate between non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white women has more than doubled over the past decade. Infant mortality rates among Puerto Rican mothers were also high at 5.93 per 1,000 live births.

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