Infant Mortality Rate: Deconstructed

Infant mortality is the term referred to the number of infant deaths in the first 12 months of survival for every 1,000 births. Most of the deaths occur within the first 27 days after birth, known as the neonatal period in medical terms. They are often attributed to premature births, low birth weight (LBW) or other grave birth anomalies. Most common reasons for infant mortality due to LBW include respiratory distress syndrome, which may involve atelectasis (collapsed lung or lungs), hypoxemia (low oxygen absorption), and high carbon dioxide levels. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and lack of the essential amenities such as adequate food, warmth, shelter, and water are all crucial factors for infant mortality. However, the mortality rate is higher for male child than female child, as per the record more male births are registered as compared to females. Malnutrition is still a major cause-particularly in underdeveloped nations, while infectious diseases have been virtually eradicated through global immunization programs. However catastrophic phenomena can be brought about by rapid improvement in standards of living, medical science, sanitation, water purification, and nutrition, combined with higher education and economic conditions. Other developmental factors such as pasteurization for milk, vaccinations against childhood infectious diseases, more options in contraception, smaller families, and longer periods between the births of siblings would ensure lesser mortality rates. Out of all these factors LBW remains the highest risk to infants. The major factors for LWB include smoking while pregnancy, and teen pregnancies, and malnutrition of mother during pregnancy.The statistics shows that more than 12% of smokers give birth to LBW babies, and LBW is the infants causes neonatal infant mortality. Infant mortality rates are one of the perfect whistle blowers regarding the discrepancies in the quality of adult education and medical care available to different socioeconomic or ethnic populations in a country, state and cities. The economic boom being experienced by India masks a shameful failure to control the shocking infant mortality rate.One out of every four children in the world, who die under the age of one, is an Indian. Moreover, 46 per cent of children under three are underweight in the economically booming nation, India, and over two-thirds of infants die within the very first month of their birth. Ninety per cent of these deaths can be avoided as they occur due to easily preventable grounds like pneumonia and diarrhea. In nearly most of the cases, the infections and conditions that are the direct causes of death within the first 28 days of a childs birth and are preventable and curable with proven low-cost interventions.

Low birth weight (LBW) is the primary risk factor for infant mortality. A society's infant mortality rate is considered an important indicator of its health status, because infant mortality is associated with socioeconomic status, access to health care, and the health status of women of childbearing age. Although the current scenario seems grave, it can be easily tamed by practicing some common practices which can ensure the infant's survival. Cryobanks International India, accreted by AABB Accreditation and recently awarded with the most prestigious business award of the world THE BIZZ 2010 is a joint venture between pregnancy guide USA and RJ Corp founded in 2006. Cryobanks International is a leader in the collection, processing and banking of pregnancy weekly.