Infant mortality measures the number of deaths to children under the age of one.
Infants with low birthweight or pre-term delivery have a higher risk of infant death. Socioeconomic status, lifestyle behaviors, prenatal care, and medical care all have an impact on infant mortality. In 1998, there were 1,091 infant deaths in Michigan, resulting in a death rate of 8.2 per 1,000 live births. During the past 10 years, the state's infant mortality rate declined 26 percent. Michigan's infant mortality rate is generally above the national average.