Objectives: This report presents infant mortality statistics from the linked birth/infant death data set (linked file)-1995 period data by a variety of maternal and infant characteristics. Trends in birthweight-specific infant mortality rates from 1985-95 are also discussed.
Methods: Descriptive tabulations of data from the linked file are presented. The data include infant deaths in 1995, which are linked to their corresponding birth certificates, whether the birth occurred in 1995 or 1994. The denominator used to compute infant mortality rates is the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) natality file, which includes all births in 1995. Data are weighted to compensate for the 2.5 percent of infant death records that could not be linked to their corresponding birth certificates.
Results: In general, mortality rates were lowest for infants born to Asian and Pacific Islander mothers, followed by white, American Indian, and black mothers. Rates for infants of Hispanic origin mothers were slightly lower than or comparable to those for infants of white mothers, except for infants of Puerto Rican mothers who had higher infant mortality rates. Infant mortality rates were higher for those infants whose mothers began prenatal care after the first trimester of pregnancy, were teenagers or 40 years of age or older, did not complete high school, were unmarried, or smoked during pregnancy. Infant mortality was also higher for male infants, multiple births, and infants born preterm or at low birthweight. In 1995, 63 percent of all infant deaths occurred to the 7.3 percent of infants born at low birthweight. From 1985-95, birthweight-specific infant mortality rates declined most rapidly for infants weighing 750-1,499 grams at birth. The leading causes of infant death varied considerably by race and Hispanic origin. For infants of black mothers, Disorders related to short gestation and unspecified low birthweight was the leading cause of infant death, with an infant mortality rate 4.5 times higher than that for infants of white mothers. For infants of American Indian mothers, rates for Sudden infant death syndrome were 2.9 times and for Accidents and adverse effects 3.6 times higher than those for infants of white mothers. For infants of Hispanic mothers, mortality rates from Sudden infant death syndrome were one-third lower than those for infants of white mothers.