Infant Health

(Data are for the U.S.)

 

Live births

• Number of births: 4,265,555
• Percent of births with low birthweight (less than 5.5 pounds): 8.3%
• Percent of births that are preterm (less than 37 weeks gestation): 13%

Source: Births: Final Data for 2006, tables 1, 32, 33

 

Mortality

• Number of infant deaths: 28,527
• Deaths per 1000 live births: 6.69
• Leading causes of infant deaths
  • Congenital malformations
  • Disorders related to short gestation and low birthweight: not elsewhere classified
  • Sudden infant death syndrome

Source: Deaths: Final Data for 2006, table D, E

 

More data

• America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being
• Births: Final Data for 2006
• Breastfeeding in the United States: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1999-2006
• Deaths: Final Data for 2006
• Deaths: Leading Causes for 2004
• Health Data Interactive
• Health, United States, trend tables with data on child health
• Infant Mortality Statistics from the 2005 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set
• Recent Trends in Infant Mortality in the United States
• Trends in preterm-related infant mortality by race and ethnicity