Infant mortality rate
Infant mortality rate refers to the numeral value of babies’ deaths under one year per thousand live births. There numerous causes of babies’ death, but the main ones include low birth weight and pregnancy complications. To shrink the high rates of infant mortality, there is a need to upturn access to education and therapeutic care so that both the mothers and the babies can obtain proper medical attention. As a matter of fact, infant mortality is closely intertwined with maternal mortality. This implies that when a mother has more access to prenatal care and has unlimited access to health care attention, maternal mortality and infant mortality can be seriously reduced, giving the newborn baby a higher likelihood of survival. This paper shall investigate the United States’ infant mortality rate in the past thirty years and the current trend. Additionally, I shall compare these trends against those of other industrialized nations.
In the past three decades, the United States has experienced a considerable drop in infant mortality rates. Over the last thirty years, from 1990 to 2020, the United States has experienced a 41.03% decrease in infant mortality rate; the rate has decreased from 9.634% in 1990 to 5.638% in 2020. Though neonatal and postneonatal mortality rates have declined, the larger share of infant demise has been newborn deaths among babies aged between zero to twenty-seven days. Looking at 2017 infant deaths, though most infant deaths in the United States occur in less than twenty-eight days, a substantial share the occurs between twenty-eight days and one year after being born (postneonatal period).
Though the United States’ infant mortality rate stood at 5.681% in 2020, the mortality rates differ from one state to another. A higher concentration of deaths per thousand live births in the south and Midwest geographical location of the United States. National center for statics figures reveals that eleven states of the United States have an infant mortality rate lower than the national rate. In comparison, fifteen states and more so, the Districts of Columbia showed a higher rate than the national rates.
Well, a significant trend in infant mortality is also observed in terms of racial disparities. The highest infant mortality rate was observed in Non-Hispanic mothers. Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, American Indian, and pacific islanders are the four races that have always experienced a higher rate than the national infant mortality rate. In contrast, Asian and White mothers revealed a mortality rate lower than the national rate.
When compared with OECD countries, the United States mortality rate is higher. Its rates are 5.681%, whereas the infant mortality rate of OECD is 3.9%. In fact, the US is ranked position thirty-three out of the possible thirty-six. As a matter of fact, the US’s infant death is 71% higher than its comparable nations. Studies reveal that social, economic disparities in the US are the major contributor to these worrying statistics. According to research, the postneonatal mortality rate may be accounted for by socioeconomic conditions.
As explained above, the United States of America needs to up her game regarding infant mortality rates. More policies need to be formulated with a new focus of more access to prenatal health care to aid it to combat infant deaths once and for all. With rejuvenated focus and proper resource mobilization, the US will overcome this challenge.