What Is Infant Mortality?
Every year in Franklin County, more than 17,000 babies are born.
For most families, that first year is filled with milestones, growth, and joy. But for some, it ends far too soon.
When a baby dies before their first birthday, this is known as infant mortality.
Infant mortality is measured as the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births. To be included, a baby must have taken at least one breath before passing away.
How infant mortality is measured
To understand how this works, here’s a simple example.
If 10,000 babies were born in a year and 100 died before their first birthday:
(100 infant deaths ÷ 10,000 live births) × 1,000 = 10 per 1,000 live births
You may see this number written with a decimal.
For example, Franklin County’s infant mortality rate is 7.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
Using a rate, rather than a raw number or percentage, helps communities track progress over time and compare outcomes across places.
Factors that influence infant mortality
A combination of medical, social, and economic factors influences infant mortality.
Low Birth Weight
Premature
Congenital Anomalies
Sudden Unexpected Infant Death
Beyond medical causes, broader conditions such as access to quality healthcare, stable housing, nutritious food, reliable transportation, income stability, and stress all play a role in pregnancy and a baby’s first year of life.