SUMMARY OF 2010 INFANT DEATH STATISTICS

INFANT MORTALITY:  For every 1,000 Michigan live births, approximately seven infants die before reaching their first birthday. In 2010, 817 infants under the age of one year died, resulting in an infant mortality rate of 7.1 per 1,000 live births. Michigan experienced a significant decline in infant mortality during the early 1990s; in recent years the infant mortality rates have tended to level off. (See Number of Infant Deaths, Live Births and Infant Death Rates for Michigan Residents, 1970-2010.)

The disparity between the black and white infant mortality rate has started to narrow. In 2005, the white infant death rate was 5.5, and was comparable to the previous ten-year 1996-2005 average of 6.0 deaths per 1,000 white births. The black infant death rate was 17.9 in 2005, and was also comparable to the previous decade average of 17.6 deaths per 1,000 black births. However, in 2010 the white infant mortality rate was 5.5 per 1,000 live births while the black rate was 14.2 per 1,000 live births. So, since 2005 the white infant mortality rate has leveled off, while the black rate has declined by 19.6%. The decline in the Michigan infant mortality rate is largely due to a reduction in black infant deaths. (See Number of Infant Deaths, Live Births and Infant Death Rates by Race for Michigan Residents, 1970-2010.)

The Michigan infant mortality rate continues to be higher than the national rate. The provisional 2010 infant death rate for the United States is 6.1. (See Number and Rate of Infant Deaths by Race, Michigan and United States Residents, 1989-2010.)

LIVE BIRTHS: Live births decreased in Michigan in 2010. Between 2009 and 2010 live births to Michigan residents decreased 2.2 percent, from 117,309 in 2009 to 114,717 in 2010. Nationally, there were provisionally 4,007,000 births in the U.S. in 2010, a decline of 8% from the record number reported for 2007.

CHARACTERISTICS OF NEWBORN: Certain newborns are at higher risk of dying. In 2010 infants born with very low birth weight (less than 1,500 grams) experienced an infant death rate of 240.9 per 1,000 live births compared to a rate of 2.3 for those infants weighing 2,500 grams or more. Multiple birth infants had an infant mortality rate of 24.8 per 1,000 live births compared to the rate of 6.4 for single birth infants. The infant mortality rate was higher for male infants (7.6 per 1,000 male live births) than for female infants (6.6 per 1,000 female live births). (See Number of Infant Deaths, Live Births and Infant Death Rates by Selected Characteristics of Newborn and of Mother for Michigan Residents, 2010.)

CHARACTERISTICS OF MOTHER: Infant death rates were the lowest for mothers aged 30-39 years old and highest for mothers less than 20 years old. Unmarried mothers had infant mortality rates nearly twice those of married mothers. Women receiving inadequate prenatal care experienced infant mortality rates three times as high as those women receiving adequate prenatal care. Mothers exposed to secondhand smoking while pregnant had an infant death rate of 9.5 per 1,000 live births compared to a rate of 6.0 for mothers who were not exposed to secondhand smoking during pregnancy. (See Number of Infant Deaths, Live Births and Infant Death Rates by Selected Characteristics of Newborn and of Mother for Michigan Residents, 2010.)

COMMUNITY LEVEL DATA: Infant mortality data are available at this site for most communities in Michigan. Data for local health department districts, counties and major cities and townships can be reached by using Community Health Information Infant Mortality page. Supplementary tables’ specific to Michigan are available at the Michigan Vital Statistics Infant Mortality Statistics home page.

Michael Beebe
Vital Records and Health Data Development Section
Michigan Department of Community Health
201 Townsend
Lansing, MI 48913

(517) 335-8715 Voice
(517) 335-8711 FAX

E-mail: BeebeM@Michigan.gov