INFANT DEATHS

In 2008 there were 1,200 infant deaths (deaths of children less than one year of age) registered in Australia. This was a 1.9% increase over the number registered in 2007.


Infant mortality rates

The infant mortality rate (IMR) of 4.1 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2008 was 2% lower than the rate in 2007 (4.2) and 52% lower than in 1988 (8.7).

Over the past 100 years, Australia's infant mortality has declined significantly. For the period 1901-1910, around one in 12 infants did not survive to their first birthday (an IMR of 81.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 1905). By 2008, one in 240 infants did not survive their first year of life. Declines in infant mortality in the early part of the 20th century have been attributed to improvements in public sanitation and health education, while later declines may be a consequence of the introduction of universal health insurance (Medicare) and improvements in medical technology, such as neonatal intensive care units (Taylor et al. 1998).

States and territories

South Australia recorded the lowest IMR in 2008 (2.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births), followed by Western Australia (3.4) and Victoria (3.7). The Northern Territory's IMR of 6.1 was the highest of the states and territories, followed by the Australian Capital Territory with an IMR of 5.0. Some states and territories have experienced volatility in IMRs from year to year due in part to the decline in the number of infant deaths, resulting in rates based on small numbers.


Infant age at death

In 2008, 39% of all infant deaths occurred within the first day of life, with a further 31% occurring in the remainder of the first four weeks of life.

Until around 1998, numbers of infant deaths at all ages were decreasing. Between 1988 and 1998, the total number of infant deaths decreased by 5.2% per year on average. Since then, total numbers of infant deaths each year have remained relatively stable in number, fluctuating between 1,400 and 1,200 deaths per year.

Between 1988 and 1998, deaths of infants aged under one week decreased by 4.9% per year on average. Since then, the number of deaths have remained largely unchanged, varying between 660 and 760 deaths per year.

Between 1988 and 1998, deaths of infants aged one week and over decreased by 5.4% per year on average, and have continued to decrease, although at a slower rate (1.6% per year) than previously.

Male and female infant deaths

Over the past twenty years, male infant deaths have consistently outnumbered female infant deaths. In 2008 there were 700 male deaths, 34% more than the number of female deaths (520). As a result the male IMR has been consistently higher than the female IMR over this period.

Previous Page

Next Page