Infant mortality refers to the death of a baby between 1 day and 1 year old. Deaths that happen before a baby is 28 days old are also called neonatal deaths. Babies can die for many reasons, such as birth defects, infections, or accidents. It is important to understand the difference between causes and contributors to infant mortality. A cause is what directly leads to a baby’s death. A contributor is something that increases the risk of death but does not directly cause it. While many leading causes of infant death cannot be fully prevented, parents and caregivers can lower a baby’s risk by making healthy choices and getting care before and during pregnancy.
- In 2023, the mortality rate for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) infants was 64% higher than infants nationwide.
- In 2023, AI/AN infants were more than twice as likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) compared with infants in the U.S. overall.
- In 2023, AI/AN mothers were 80% more likely than mothers nationwide to start prenatal care late or receive no prenatal care at all.
Additional Resources
MedlinePlus
Health Resources & Services Administration
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Related Data
Further Reading
Occurrence
| Infant mortality, rate per 1,000 live births, 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Maternal race and Hispanic Origin | Infant Mortality Rate | Ratio (Hispanic / Total) |
| Total Population | 5.6 | 1.00 |
| Total Hispanic | 5.0 | 0.90 |
| Mexican | 5.1 | 0.91 |
| Puerto Rican | 6.4 | 1.15 |
| Cuban | 3.8 | 0.67 |
| Central and South American | 4.6 | 0.82 |
| Infant mortality by age of mother, rate per 1,000 live births, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Age of Mother | Total Hispanic | Total Population | Ratio (Hispanic / Total) |
| 15-19 years | 7.2 | 10.4 | 0.68 |
| 20-24 years | 5.5 | 7.2 | 0.76 |
| 25-29 years | 4.4 | 5.2 | 0.85 |
| 30-34 years | 4.5 | 4.6 | 0.97 |
| 35-39 years | 5.1 | 4.9 | 1.03 |
| 40-54 years | 6.4 | 6.8 | 0.94 |
Leading Causes of Death
| Infant mortality rate for the top 5 leading causes of death for Hispanic subgroups, rate per 100,000 live births, 2023 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cause of Death | Population | Rate per 100,000 | Total Population Rate | Ratio (Population / Total) |
| Low Birthweight | Hispanic | 79.9 | 81.4 | 0.98 |
| Mexican American | 75.0 | 81.4 | 0.92 | |
| Puerto Rican | 110.3 | 81.4 | 1.36 | |
| Central & South American | 82.0 | 81.4 | 1.01 | |
| Congenital Malformations | Hispanic | 119.6 | 112.1 | 1.07 |
| Mexican American | 126.7 | 112.1 | 1.13 | |
| Puerto Rican | 101.2 | 112.1 | 0.90 | |
| Central & South American | 128.5 | 112.1 | 1.15 | |
| Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) | Hispanic | 23.6 | 40.2 | 0.59 |
| Mexican American | 22.4 | 40.2 | 0.56 | |
| Puerto Rican | 42.3 | 40.2 | 1.05 | |
| Central & South American | 17.7 | 40.2 | 0.44 | |
| Accidents (Unintentional Injuries) | Hispanic | 22.0 | 35.8 | 0.61 |
| Mexican American | 24.2 | 35.8 | 0.68 | |
| Puerto Rican | 39.3 | 35.8 | 1.10 | |
| Central & South American | 14.4 | 35.8 | 0.40 | |
| Maternal Complications of Pregnancy | Hispanic | 32.8 | 31.9 | 1.03 |
| Mexican American | 32.9 | 31.9 | 1.03 | |
| Puerto Rican | 51.4 | 31.9 | 1.61 | |
| Central & South American | 25.4 | 31.9 | 0.80 | |
Risk Factors for Complications
| Mother received late or no prenatal care, percentage, 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Population | Percent | Ratio (Hispanic / Total) |
| Total Population | 7.0 | 1.00 |
| Total Hispanic | 9.7 | 1.39 |
| Mexican | 8.7 | 1.24 |
| Puerto Rican | 6.3 | 0.90 |
| Cuban | 8.4 | 1.20 |
| Central and South American | 14.2 | 2.03 |
| Mother smoked during pregnancy, percentage, 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Population | Percent | Ratio (Hispanic / Total) |
| Total Population | 3.0 | 1.00 |
| Total Hispanic | 0.8 | 0.30 |
| Mexican | 0.7 | 0.20 |
| Puerto Rican | 2.5 | 0.80 |
| Cuban | 0.9 | 0.30 |
| Central and South American | 0.2 | 0.10 |
Date Last Reviewed: January 2026