In this presentation, myself and my group members Mary Lenon Bates, Lauryn Waters, and Rachel McPhaul explored the reasons behind why the United States has high infant mortality rates. We also took comparisons from other countries and paid close attention to how things like socioeconomic status affect the outcome of an infant.

1. Infant and Maternal
Mortality in the U.S.
Mary Lenon Bates, Kenadi Davis,
Lauryn Waters, Rachel McPhaul

2. Definitions
Maternal Mortality Rate:
“The pregnancy-related mortality
ratio is an estimate of the number
of pregnancy-related deaths for
every 100,000 live births… Factors
that affect the health of the entire
population can also affect mortality
among pregnant and postpartum
women.” (CDC, 2019)
Infant Mortality Rate:
“The infant mortality rate is the
number of infant deaths for every
1,000 live births. In addition to
giving us key information about
maternal and infant health, the
infant mortality rate is an important
marker of the overall health of a
society.” (CDC, 2019)
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3. Infant Mortality Rates Around the World
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Country Infant Mortality Rate
(# of infant deaths per 1,000 live
births)
Monaco 1.80
Japan 2.0
Iceland 2.10
Singapore 2.40
United States
In 2018, 3.79 million babies
were born in the United States.
When the total number born is
considered, an infant mortality
rate of 5.80 communicates that
around 219,820 infants died in
their first year of life in the
United States if the infant
mortality rate for 2018 was the
same as it was in 2019.
5.80
Afghanistan 110.60 (CIA) | 49.5 (World Bank)

4. Maternal Mortality Rates Around
the World
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Country Maternal Mortality Rate
(# of maternal deaths per
100,000 live births)
Greece 3
Iceland 3
Poland 3
Finland 3
United States 14
Sierra Leone 1,360

5. Leading Causes of Infant
Mortality
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Causes:
-Birth defects
-Low birthweight and preterm birth
-Maternal pregnancy complications
-Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
-Injuries
(Infant Mortality, 2019)
Ways to reduce these causes:
-Reduce maternal obesity
-Reduce maternal
smoking/consumption of alcohol
-Increased access to maternal care and
prenatal vitamins
-Education on proper sleeping
positions for infants (reduce SIDS
specifically)
-Expand community outreach efforts to
find and assist underfunded mothers

6. Race and Ethnic Disparities in
Rates
“Infant Mortality by Race of the Mother” -
Number of Infant Deaths per 1,000 Live Births
● Black, not Hispanic: 10.9
● American Indian or Alaska Native: 8.3
● Hispanic: 5.1
● White, not Hispanic: 4.7
● Asian or Pacific Islander: 4.2
(LHI Infographic Gallery, 2019)
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7. INCOME DISPARITIES
● Women living in poverty experience significantly higher maternal mortality ratios than the
national average. (Maternal Health in the United States, 2015)
● Insurance coverage can be tied to a woman’s income, and her insurance status can
greatly affect her health before, during, and after pregnancy.
○ This is because of prenatal care. Women who do not receive prenatal care are 3 to
4 times more likely to die from pregnancy than women who receive prenatal care.
○ Medicaid and CHIP Payment Advisory Commission (MACPAC) statistics presented
that only 64.2% of women covered by Medicaid and 35.7% of uninsured women
received satisfactory prenatal care between 2012 and 2014.
○ Low-income women are less likely to recognize how serious pre- and post-natal
care are for their health and the baby’s.
(Maternal Mortality in the United States, 2019)

8. “ Watch this video!
○ Watch 3:30-6:05:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AODAk-accVc
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9. Bronfenbrenner
Ecological Systems Model
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Why does this matter?
-Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological systems
theory is applicable here because:
1. It depicts societal stratification
between levels of life (ie work,
school, home)
2. This shows how the exosystem
(community services) needs to be
changed first in order to better
serve the expecting mothers and
their children(individuals)

10. QUIZ TIME!
1. True or False: An expecting mother’s
socioeconomic status is not linked
with her potential survival because
all expecting mothers are treated
equally.
2. True or False: The infant mortality
rate of African-American babies is
over double that of Caucasian babies
3. Q/A: What is the sign of
preeclampsia during pregnancy?
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1. FALSE
1. TRUE
1. High blood
pressure

11. References
America’s Health Rankings. (2019). Explore Infant Mortality in the United States | 2019 Health of Women and Children Report. Retrieved February
2, 2020, from https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/health-of-women-and-children/measure/IMR_MCH/state/ALL
COUNTRY COMPARISON :: INFANT MORTALITY RATE. (n.d.). Retrieved February 2, 2020, from
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2091rank.html
COUNTRY COMPARISON :: MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE. (n.d.). Retrieved February 2, 2020, from
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2223rank.html
FastStats - Births and Natality. (n.d.). Retrieved February 3, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/births.htm
Infant Mortality. (2019, March 27). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/infantmortality.htm
LHI Infographic Gallery. (2019, May). Retrieved February 3, 2020, from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/leading-health-indicators/LHI-
Infographic-Gallery?_ga=2.258629066.151969610.1580767766-567402778.1580767766#May-2019
Plecher, H. (2019, December 9). Afghanistan - infant mortality rate 2008-2018. Retrieved February 3, 2020, from
https://www.statista.com/statistics/806605/infant-mortality-in-afghanistan/
Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System. (2019, October 10). Retrieved February 2, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternal-
mortality/pregnancy-mortality-surveillance-system.htm#ratio
Hayes, T. O. N., HayesDirector, T. O. N., Hayes, P. T. O. N., Gray, G., Bosch, Bosch, D., … Federal Housing Administration. (2019, September 9).
Maternal Mortality in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.americanactionforum.org/insight/maternal-mortality-in-the-united-states/
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