Behind International Rankings of Infant Mortality: How the United

States Compares with Europe

Marian MacDorman and T.J. MathewsDivision of Vital Statistics

National Center for Health Statistics

Acknowledgements: Sam Notzon and Jennifer Madans, NCHS

International Health Rankings: A Look Behind the Numbers National Conference on Health Statistics

August 16-18, 2010

Infant mortality rate, United States, 2000-2007

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 20070

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

86.89 6.84 6.95 6.84 6.78 6.86 6.68

6.75

Rat

e pe

r 1,

000

live

birt

hs

Source: 2000-2006 data are from the linked birth/infant death data sets. 2007 data are from the main mortality file.

Infant mortality rates, selected countries, 2005

SlovakiaUnited States

PolandNorthern Ireland

Cuba HungaryCanada

ScotlandNew Zealand

AustraliaEngland and Wales

NetherlandsItaly

IsraelDenmark

AustriaSwitzerland

SpainIreland

GermanyGreece

BelgiumFrance

PortugalCzech Republic

NorwayFinland

JapanHong Kong

SwedenSingapore

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

7.26.9

6.46.3

6.26.2

5.45.2

5.15.05.0

4.94.7

4.64.4

4.24.2

4.14.0

3.93.8

3.73.6

3.53.4

3.13.0

2.82.42.4

2.1

Rate per 1,000 live birthsSource: Health, United States, 2008

Infant mortality rates excluding births at <22 weeks of gestation, US and selected European countries, 2004

SlovakiaPoland

HungaryUnited States

ScotlandEngland and Wales

NetherlandsIreland

DenmarkGermany

AustriaSpain

Northern IrelandItaly

GreecePortugal

FranceCzech Republic

FinlandSwedenNorway

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0

7.0

6.8

6.6

5.8

4.9

4.9

4.6

4.6

4.4

4.1

4.1

4.0

4.0

4.0

4.0

3.9

3.9

3.7

3.4

3.0

3.0

Rate per 1,000 live births

Source: NCHS linked birth/infant death data set (for US data), and European Perinatal Health Report (for European data).

Infant mortality can be partitioned into two key components:

1. Gestational age-specific infant mortality rates (i.e. the mortality rate for infants at a given gestational age).

2. Distribution of births by gestational age.

Percentage of preterm births, United States and selected European countries, 2004

United StatesAustria

GermanyHungary

SpainScotland

England and WalesNetherlands

NorwayCzech Republic

DenmarkItaly

PolandPortugal

Northern IrelandFrance

SlovakiaSwedenGreeceFinlandIreland

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 1412.4

11.48.9

8.68.0

7.67.57.4

7.17.06.96.86.86.8

6.66.36.36.3

6.05.65.5

Note: Excludes births at <22 weeks of gestation to promote comparability between countries. Preterm births are those from 22 to 36 weeks of gestation. Source: NCHS linked birth/infant death data set (for US data), and European Perinatal Health Report (for European data).

Infant mortality rate for the US and Sweden, and the US infant mortality rate standardized for

Sweden’s gestational age distribution, 2004

Sweden IMR US IMR US IMR if the US had Sweden's

gestational age distribution

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

3.0

5.8

3.9

Infa

nt m

orta

lity

rate

33% lower

Note: Excludes births at <22 weeks of gestation

Conclusions• In 2005, the United States ranked 30th in the world in infant

mortality.

• Some differences exist in reporting of very small infants.

• These reporting differences are not the primary explanation for the United States’ relatively low international ranking.

• In 2005, 22 countries had infant mortality rates of 5.0 or below.

• One would have to assume that these countries did not report more than 1/3 of their infant deaths for their infant mortality rates to equal or exceed the US rate.

• This level of underreporting appears unlikely for most developed countries.

Conclusions (cont.)

• Infant mortality rates for preterm infants are lower and rates for full-term infants are higher in the US than in Europe.

• In 2004, 1 in 8 US infants were born preterm compared to 1 in 16 in France and Sweden and 1 in 18 in Ireland and Finland.

• If the United States had Sweden’s distribution of births by gestational age, nearly 8,000 infant deaths in the US would be averted each year, and the US infant mortality rate would be 1/3 lower.

• The main cause of the US’ high infant mortality rate when compared to Europe is the very high percentage of preterm births in the US, the period when infant mortality is greatest.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db23.pdf

Full report available at:

Questions?

Marian MacDormanmfm1@cdc.gov