Infant mortality refers to the death of a baby between 1 day and 1 year old. Deaths that happen before a baby is 28 days old are also called neonatal deaths. Babies can die for many reasons, such as birth defects, infections, or accidents. It is important to understand the difference between causes and contributors to infant mortality. A cause is what directly leads to a baby’s death. A contributor is something that increases the risk of death but does not directly cause it. While many leading causes of infant death cannot be fully prevented, parents and caregivers can lower a baby’s risk by making healthy choices and getting care before and during pregnancy.
- In 2024, the mortality rate for Asian American infants was 33% lower than infants nationwide.
- In 2024, Asian American infants were 76% less likely than infants nationwide to die from accidents and unintentional injuries.
- In 2024, Asian American mothers were 27% less likely than mothers nationwide to receive late or no prenatal care.
Additional Resources
MedlinePlus
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - SIDS (in multiple languages)
- Common Infant and Newborn Problems (in multiple languages)
Health Resources & Services Administration
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Related Data
Further Reading
Occurrence
| Infant mortality, rate per 1,000 live births, 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian* | Total Population | Ratio (Asian* / Total) |
| 3.7 | 5.5 | 0.67 |
| Infant mortality by age of mother, rate per 1,000 live births, 2024 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age of Mother | Asian* | Total Population | Ratio (Asian* / Total) | ||
| 15-19 years | Not Reported | 9.8 | Not Reported | ||
| 20–24 years | 6.4 | 6.9 | 0.92 | ||
| 25–29 years | 4.1 | 5.2 | 0.79 | ||
| 30–34 years | 3.2 | 4.7 | 0.69 | ||
| 35–39 years | 3.5 | 4.9 | 0.71 | ||
| 40–54 years | 4.6 | 7.0 | 0.66 | ||
Leading Causes of Death
| Infant mortality rate for the top 5 leading causes of death for Asian Americans, rate per 100,000 live births, 2024 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cause of Death | Asian* | Total Population | Ratio (Asian* / Total) | ||
| Low Birthweight | 53.8 | 81.2 | 0.66 | ||
| Congenital Malformations | 69.1 | 112.7 | 0.61 | ||
| Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) | 9.7 | 37.2 | 0.26 | ||
| Accidents (unintentional injuries) | 8.3 | 34.0 | 0.24 | ||
| Maternal complications of pregnancy | 25.5 | 33.0 | 0.77 | ||
Risk Factors for Complications
| Mother received late or no prenatal care, percentage, 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian* | Total Population | Ratio (Asian* / Total) |
| 5.3 | 7.3 | 0.73 |
| Mother smoked during pregnancy, percentage, 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian* | Total Population | Ratio (Asian* / Total) |
| 0.1 | 2.4 | 0.04 |
*Population is non-Hispanic in the data source.
Date Last Reviewed: August 2026