Infant Mortality

Definition:
The number of deaths occurring to infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births, for all infants, and for infants in selected racial groups.

Data Source: MD DHMH, Vital Statistics Administration Annual Reports
*Maryland data for 2013 are preliminary and U.S. data for 2013 are not yet available.

Story Behind the Data:

In 2013, Maryland’s infant mortality (IMR) had a slight increase to 6.6 deaths per 1,000 live births; however, it still represents a significant decline from 8.0 per 1,000 live births in 2008.  Although infant mortality remains highest among Black infants, the Black infant mortality rate has fallen substantially in recent years.  The rate among Black infants was 10.3 in 2012 and increased slightly in 2013 to 10.5.  This is 2.3 times higher than the White infant mortality rate of 4.5 in 2013.

The leading causes of infant death in 2013, as in recent years, were, in rank order:

• Disorders relating to short gestation and low birth weight;
• Congenital abnormalities; and
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Over the last several years, the O’Malley-Brown Administration has committed to reducing Maryland’s infant mortality rate, setting the goal of a 10% reduction by 2017.  For more information on this goal and the ways the State of Maryland is working to achieve it, visit data.maryland.gov/goals/infant-mortality.

Additional Information:

• Jurisdictional Data
• 2013 Maryland Annual Vital Statistics Report