Understanding Infant Mortality | Baltimore Healthy Start, Inc.

The Infant Mortality Rate is A Critical Measure

The Infant Mortality Rate compares the health and well-being of populations across and within countries. According to the Centers for Disease Control, "the infant mortality rate is one of the most important indicators for the health of a nation, as it is associated with a variety of factors such as maternal health, quality and access to medical care, socioeconomic conditions and public health practices."

What is Infant Mortality?

Infant mortality is the death of an infant before the age of one - expressed as the actual number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births. Birth weight is the single most important indicator for infant death.

What is Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW)?
Very Low Birth Weight is less than 3.3 pounds - expressed as a percentage of live births. One in four babies, born at VLBW, will die before the age of one.

What is Low Birth Weight (LBW)?
Low birth weight is less than 5.5 pounds - expressed as a percentage of live births.

What is Preterm Birth?

Preterm births are before 37 weeks gestation.

The top five countries with the best infant mortality rates are:*

Singapore with 2.31 deaths per 1000 live births
Bermuda with 2.46 deaths per 1000 live births
Sweden with 2.75
Japan with 2.79
Hong Kong with 2.92 per 1000 live births
The United States has 6.22 deaths per 1000 live births and is ranked 180 (out of 224)

The countries with the worst infant mortality rates are:*

Angola with 180.21 deaths per 1000 live births
Afghanistan with 153.14 deaths per 1000 live births
Sierra Leone with 154.43 deaths per 1000 live births
Liberia with 138.24 deaths per 1000 live births

Within the United States, the states with the best infant mortality rates are:**

Utah with 4.5 deaths per 1000 live births
Washington with 5.1 deaths per 1000 live births
Minnesota with 5.1 deaths per 1000 live births
Massachusetts with 5.2 deaths per 1000 live births
New Jersey with 5.2 deaths per 1000 live births

Within the United States, the five states with the worst infant mortality rates are:**

Mississippi with 11.4 deaths per 1000 live births
Louisiana with 10.1 deaths per 1000 live births
South Carolina with 9.4 deaths per 1000 live births
Alaska with 9.4 deaths per 1000 live births
Delaware with 9 deaths per 1000 live births

Maryland has 7.3 deaths per 1000 live births ranking 19th**

Washington D.C. is not ranked as a state but has 14.1 deaths per 1000 live births**

*Data Source: CIA World Factbook (2010 estimates)

**Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005

Cradle of Hope

The Cradle of Hope^TM is Baltimore Healthy Start's public awareness intitiative to inform and mobilize Maryland Residents about issues contributing to infant mortality, low birth weight and pre-term births.

Become a Champion for Healthy Babies

Quick Take

Impact of Online Giving

More than 65 percent of donors use information from the Internet before giving, whether online or offline – and 40 percent always go online before giving, regardless of whether they give online or offline.

Roughly 19 percent of men and women who use the Internet donate to charity online – compared to banking online: 41 percent or shopping online: 67 percent

The number one reason donors say they give online is convenience. Other top reasons include giving quickly at times of crisis, making multiple gifts in one transaction through a giving portal, and seeing their overall giving history.

Online donors are generous. Whether due to income levels, the impulsive nature of online giving or the credit card effect, online donors give significantly more than offline donors.

In 2007, Offline-only donors who also received e-newsletters gave more than twice as much as did offline donors who did not receive electronic communication.

Online giving is growing exponentially each year, from $250 million in 2000 to more than $4.5 billion in 2005.

Source: Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Vol. 11, No. 09, April 27, 2011

Baltimore Healthy Start, Inc is a Member of