INFANT MORTALITY RATES

Comparative analysis of the infant mortality rates in the Boroughs of Newham and Tower hamlets by ethnic groups.

Comparative analysis of the infant mortality rates in the Boroughs of Newham and Tower

Introduction

The term infant mortality refers to the death of children less than 1 year of age. The infant mortality rate (IMR) is the number of deaths of children under 1 year of age per 1,000 live births in a given population. Infant mortality is used to compare the health and well-being of populations across and within countries. It is commonly divided into neonatal (under 28 days old) and post neonatal (28 days to 12 months old). There are many potential causes of infant mortality, although not all of them are fully understood.

Leading Causes of Infant Mortality

Until the 2000s, the most common cause of infant mortality has been dehydration from diarrhoea. The successful distribution and use of oral dehydration solution (a mixture of salt, sugar, and water) has decreased the incidence of infant death by dehydration. In the 2000s, pneumonia replaced dehydration as the most common cause of infant mortality. In the United Kingdom, congenital malformations and chromosomal abnormalities accounted for the highest number of infant deaths in 2003. Preterm delivery (delivery before the end of the 37th week of pregnancy) and low birth weight accounted for the next-highest-rated cause that year, followed by sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Congenital malformations are physical defects present in babies at birth, regardless of whether the defect is caused by a genetic factor or by prenatal effects not related to genetics. In a malformation, the development of the fatal structure is arrested, delayed, or misdirected early in embryonic life and the effect is permanent. These defects can occur for many reasons, including inherited (genetic) conditions; toxic exposure of the foetus (for example, to alcohol); and birth injury. All parents are at risk of having a baby with a birth defect, regardless of age, race, income, or residence.

Very little is known about the causes of low birth-weight and preterm birth, despite extensive research. Known risk factors include: cigarette smoking during pregnancy, low maternal weight gain and low pre pregnancy weight, prior preterm birth, and low pre pregnancy weight. However, these account for less than one-quarter of preterm births.

SIDS is the sudden death of an infant less than 1 year of age that cannot be explained by information collected during a thorough forensic investigation. SIDS is the leading cause of death among post neonatal infants.

Discussion

On the whole infant mortality rates in most states of the UK including of Newham and Tower hamlets have been falling during the past decade and the degree of infant mortality rate continuously posing a considerable challenge to the public health system and the society. This study discusses the infant mortality rate in the borough of Newham and Tower Hamlets on the basis of ethnicity/race, the data set consist of three ethnic groups' whites, blacks and Hispanics from the year 2000 to 2010. The trend in infant mortality rate in the ...