Decrease in infant mortality in New York City after 1989.

Advanced Search

H D Kalter, Y Na, P O'Campo

Author Information

H D Kalter: Bureau of Maternity Services and Family Planning, New York City Department of Health, NY, USA. hkalter@jhsph.edu

PMID: 9585755 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.88.5.816

OBJECTIVES: This study identified factors contributing to the rapid decline in infant mortality in New York City from 1989 to 1992.
METHODS: Changes in birthweight distributions and in birthweight/age-, cause-, and birthweight/age/cause-specific mortality rates from 1988/89 (before the mortality reduction) to 1990/91 were identified from New York City vital statistics data.
RESULTS: Infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality of very-low-birthweight (< 1500 g) and normal-birthweight infants decreased significantly. The declines were almost entirely due to decreases in birthweight-specific mortality rates, rather than increased birthweights. All races experienced most of these reductions. Mortality decreased significantly for 6 causes of death. These decreases were consistent with the birthweight/age groups experiencing mortality declines.
CONCLUSIONS: Widespread, multiple perinatal and postnatal factors contributed to the decline in infant mortality.

Americas Biology Birth Weight Body Weight Cultural Background Demographic Factors Developed Countries Ethnic Groups Infant Mortality Mortality Mortality Decline Neonatal Mortality New York North America Northern America Physiology Population Population Characteristics Population Dynamics United States

Am J Public Health. 1987 Feb;77(2):137-9 [PMID: 3799853]
Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1990 Feb;97(2):155-62 [PMID: 2317466]
N Engl J Med. 1993 Mar 25;328(12):861-8 [PMID: 8441430]
Curr Opin Pediatr. 1994 Apr;6(2):158-62 [PMID: 8032395]
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1994 Feb;148(2):141-6 [PMID: 8118530]
Clin Perinatol. 1993 Dec;20(4):737-60 [PMID: 8131365]
J Pediatr. 1993 Jul;123(1):120-6 [PMID: 8320605]

Birth Weight

Black People

Cause of Death

Death Certificates

Humans

Infant Mortality

Infant, Newborn

Infant, Very Low Birth Weight

New York City

White People

Black or African American

Journal Article

OpenLB
Open Library of Bioscience