U.S. Infant Mortality Rate Fell Steadily From ’05 to ’11
WASHINGTON The nations infant mortality rate fell by 12 percent from 2005 through 2011, a promising pattern that researchers say may be due in part to a decline in premature births.
The decline came after a period of stalled progress. Although the infant mortality rate dropped significantly over the 20th century, it remained static from 2000 to 2005, according to a report released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
By 2011, however, the rate had dropped to 6.05 deaths of babies less than 1 year old per 1,000 births, down from 6.87 in 2000. Some of the most striking improvements were in Southern states, which still have higher infant mortality rates than most of the country.
The rate of infant deaths declined the most among black mothers a drop of 16 percent from 2005 to 2011. Historically, infant mortality rates among black women have been more than twice those among white women.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/health/infant-mortality-rate-in-us-declines.html?_r=0