The death (mortality) of live-born children who have not reached their first birthday, usually measured as a rate: number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births in a given area or program and time period. The infant mortality rate is one common measure of health status. Infant mortality varies among countries at least partly because the definition is somewhat variable.
The death of an infant during the first year of life, normally expressed as a rate of the number of deaths per specified number of pregnancies. Two thirds die during the first month (called neonatal mortality). Infant mortality has declined in recent years, because of a variety of factors, including better prenatal care, improved nutrition, availability of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and a wide variety of advancements in medical technology. However, the improvement has not been felt uniformly. In the United States, the infant mortality rate among Blacks is almost twice as high as that for Whites. And in the world, the United States ranked 22nd in 1985, with an overall rate of 10.6 per 1,000 live births, while in some parts of the world the rate is almost 10 times that high.
The number of deaths of children younger than 1 year of age per 1000 live births per year.
This refers to the rate of infant deaths within the first year of life per 1,000 live births, usually expressed annually. The majority of these deaths happen during the neonatal period, which is the first month of life. Most of the infants who pass away are either extremely premature, have low birth weight, or are born with severe congenital abnormalities.