Infant mortality

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Infant Mortality

Infant mortality refers to the death of an infant before their first birthday. The term is often used as an indicator to measure the health and well-being of a nation, as it is directly linked with maternal health, access to quality health care, socioeconomic conditions, and public health practices.

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈɪnfənt mɔːrˈtalɪti/

Etymology

The term "infant mortality" is derived from the Latin words "infans" meaning "unable to speak" and "mors" meaning "death".

Definition

Infant mortality is defined as the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births. This rate is often used as a marker to measure the health and well-being of a nation, because factors affecting the health of entire populations can also impact the mortality rate of infants.

Causes

There are numerous causes of infant mortality, from health complications due to premature birth or low birth weight, congenital anomalies, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), to infections, birth complications, and environmental factors.

Prevention

Prevention of infant mortality involves a range of measures, including access to quality prenatal and postnatal care, improving maternal health, addressing socioeconomic disparities, and implementing effective public health practices.

Related Terms

  • Neonatal mortality: This refers to the death of a baby within the first 28 days of life.
  • Perinatal mortality: This includes both neonatal mortality and fetal deaths (stillbirths).
  • Maternal mortality: This refers to the death of a woman during pregnancy or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy.

External links

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