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Health: Infant Mortality Rate Indicator The infant mortality rate in DuPage County has increased.
ABOUT THE INDICATOR The infant mortality rate measures the number of babies who die during their first year of life, per 1,000 live births. This rate includes infants born prematurely. The infant mortality rate is generally considered an important measure of health status for a nation, state, or community. It is often used for comparing different populations. The factors contributing to infant deaths are complex. If there are significant disparities among population groups, the various causes of infant mortality warrant further investigation. OBSERVATIONS The infant mortality rate in DuPage County has consistently been below state and national levels. Since 1996, however, the county rate has been trending upward while Illinois and U. S. rates have been trending slightly downward. Furthermore, in 2001, infant mortality in DuPage County increased to 6.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, the highest rate since 1995. Continued monitoring of infant deaths is advisable to determine whether infant mortality is indeed on the rise in DuPage County and to understand the reasons why. TAPESTRYMany factors contribute to infant mortality. In DuPage County, infant deaths are often associated with higher maternal age, multiple gestations, and extremely low birth weights. Infants of Hispanic ethnicity also are at higher risk. . The Healthy People 2010 target is to lower infant mortality to no more than 4.5 deaths per 1,000 live births. Addressing any ethnic disparities that might exist in the community and ensuring that teens and lower-income women receive adequate prenatal care are two actions that can help reduce the infant mortality rate in DuPage County. Progress in reducing infant deaths may be limited, however, because it will undoubtedly be difficult to change current social norms associated with delayed childbirth. Specifically, more women are choosing to wait until they are in their late 30s or 40s to have children, and then finding it difficult to become pregnant, so they are seeking fertility assistance. Pregnancies that result from fertility treatments are at higher risk for multiple gestations, and multiple gestations are more likely to result in premature births and infant deaths. DuPage County is fairly immune to other community factors, such as extreme poverty and the lack of sophisticated medical care, that typically lead to high infant mortality. The complex ethical, social, medical, and public health factors contributing to infant mortality represent some of the most challenging issues for our county to address. HOW TO GET INVOLVED OR LEARN MORE
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