Definition

1. Noun:
   • The number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births in a given population and time period: "Infant mortality" is a key demographic indicator measuring the rate at which babies die before reaching their first birthday. It is a crucial statistic for assessing the health and socioeconomic conditions of a community or nation.

Usage

• "Infant mortality" is used as a singular, uncountable noun phrase when referring to the general concept or rate.
• It is typically used in public health, demographic, economic, and sociological contexts.
• Common collocations include: , , , , .

Examples

• Noun:
  • Public health initiatives have successfully lowered the infant mortality in the region.
  • The report highlighted a stark disparity in infant mortality between urban and rural areas.
  • A high infant mortality rate is often linked to inadequate prenatal care and poor sanitation.

Advanced Usage

• "Infant mortality rate (IMR)": This is the full technical term specifying the rate calculation (deaths per 1,000 live births). It is often used interchangeably with "infant mortality" in formal writing.
  • The country's infant mortality rate has fallen by 50% over the last two decades.

Variants and Related Words

• Neonatal mortality (n): The number of deaths of infants within the first 28 days of life per 1,000 live births.
• Perinatal mortality (n): The number of stillbirths and deaths in the first week of life per 1,000 total births.
• Under-five mortality (n): The probability of a child dying before reaching five years of age, per 1,000 live births.

Synonyms

• Infant death rate: A less common but direct synonym.
• Child mortality: A broader term that includes deaths of children under five. (Note: This is related but not an exact synonym, as it covers a wider age range.)

Related Phrases

• To combat infant mortality: To take action to reduce the number of infant deaths.
  • The government launched a new program to combat infant mortality through vaccination drives.
• A decline in infant mortality: A reduction in the infant mortality rate over time.
  • The 20th century saw a dramatic decline in infant mortality in developed nations.

Noun

1. the death rate during the first year of life