SUMMARY OF 2009 INFANT DEATH STATISTICS

INFANT MORTALITY:  For every 1,000 Michigan live births, approximately eight infants die before reaching their first birthday. In 2009, 881 infants under the age of one year died, resulting in an infant mortality rate of 7.5 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, 1970-2009.)

The disparity between the black infant mortality rate and the rate for white infants continues. In 2009 the white infant mortality rate was 5.4 per 1,000 live births while the black rate was 15.5 per 1,000 live births. The infant mortality rate for infants of other races was 6.6 per 1,000 live births. (See Number of Infant Deaths, Live Births and Infant Death Rates by Race for Michigan Residents, 1970-2008.)

The Michigan infant mortality rate continues to be higher than the national rate. The provisional 2009 infant death rate for the United States is 6.3. (See Number and Rate of Infant Deaths by Race, Michigan and United States Residents, 1989-2008.)

LIVE BIRTHS: Live births decreased in Michigan in 2009. Between 2008 and 2009 live births to Michigan residents decreased 3.2 percent, from 121,231 in 2008 to 117,309 in 2009. Nationally, there were 4,131,019 births in the U.S. in 2009, a decline of 4% from the record number reported for 2007.

CHARACTERISTICS OF NEWBORN: Certain newborns are at higher risk of dying. In 2009 infants born with very low birth weight (less than 1,500 grams) experienced an infant death rate of 254.1 per 1,000 live births compared to a rate of 2.4 for those infants weighing 2,500 grams or more. Multiple birth infants had an infant mortality rate of 34.7 per 1,000 live births compared to the rate of 6.5 for single birth infants. The infant mortality rate was higher for male infants (8.3 per 1,000 male live births) than for female infants (6.7 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, 2008.)

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 who reported smoking while pregnant had an infant death rate of 8.4 per 1,000 live births compared to a rate of 7.3 for mothers who reported not 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, 2008.)

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