Mortality rate


The number of maternal deaths related to childbearing divided by the number of live births (or by the number of live births + fetal deaths) in that year.

The word “mortality” came from the Latin “mors” (death). Mortality is distinct from morbidity (illness). A condition such as tuberculosis can cause morbidity and mortality (disease and death). The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) is an important weekly publication by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC).

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  • Mortality rate, fetal

    The ratio of fetal deaths to the sum of the births (the live births + the fetal deaths) in that year. In the United States, the fetal mortality rate plummeted from 19.2 per 1,000 births in 1950 to 9.2 per 1,000 births in 1980.

  • Mortality rate, infant

    The number of children dying at less than 1 year of age, divided by the number of live births that year.

  • Mortality rate, maternal

    The number of registered maternal deaths due to birth- or pregnancy-related complications per 100,000 registered live births.

  • Mortality rate, neonatal

    The number of children under 28 days of age who die, divided by the number of live births in that year.

  • Mortality, infant

    The 1997 infant mortality rate for the United States, according to preliminary data, was 7.1 deaths per 1,000 births, substantially below the 1983 rate of 10.9. Infant mortality data are available by mother’s race and ethnicity through 1996. Black, non-Hispanics have consistently had a higher infant mortality rate than white, non-Hispanics. In 1996, the black, […]


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