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Childhood Mortality Rates

Childhood is divided into following age-periods:

•    Infancy ( up to 1 year of age)
•    Neonatal period (first 28 days of life)
•    Post neonatal period (28th day- to 1 yr)
•    Pre-school age (1-4 years)
•    School age (5-14 years)

Infant mortality is the death of the child under 1 year of age.

mortality in and around infancy

Infant Mortality Rate

It is the ratio of infant deaths registered in a given year to the total number of live births registered in the same year (usually expressed as a rate per thousand live births.)

Still Birth

Death of a fetus weighing 1000 g or equivalent to 28 weeks of gestation.

Still Birth Rate

Fetal deaths weighing over 1000 g at Birth during the year divided by total live + stillbirths over 1000g at birth during the year

Peri-natal Mortality Rate

Perinatal period is defined as lasting from 28th week of gestation to the seventh day after birth.   Peri- Natal Mortality Rate includes both late fetal deaths (still birth) and early neonatal deaths.

Late fetal deaths (28 weeks gestation & more) + early neonatal deaths (first week) in one year divided by late fetal deaths + Live births in the same year.

Neonatal Mortality Rate

These are deaths occurring during the neonatal period, commencing at birth and ending 28 completed days after birth.These include:
•    Early neonatal deaths
•    Late neonatal deaths

Number of deaths of children under 28 days of age in a year divided by total live births in the same year

Early Neonatal Mortality Rate

Number of deaths of children<1 week of age in a year divided by total live births in the same year.

Late Neonatal Mortality Rate

Number of deaths of children after 7th day till 28th day of age in a year divided by total live births in the same year.

Post Neonatal Mortality Rate

Total number of deaths of children between 28 days and one year of age in a given year divided by total live births in the same year.

1 – 4 year Mortality Rate (Child Death Rate)

No. of deaths of children aged 1-4 years during a year divided by total no. of children aged 1-4 years at the middle of the year.

Mid-year estimated population means population counted on the 1st of July.

Under 5 Mortality Rate/ Child Mortality Rate

Number of deaths of <  5 years of age in a given year divided by total number of live births in the same year.

Child Survival Index

A child survival rate per 1000 births can be simply calculated by subtracting the Under -5 mortality rate from 1000. Dividing this figure by ten shows the percentage of those who survive to the age of 5 years.

Child Survival Index points towards the need for preventive services through:

•    Breast feeding
•    Adequate nutrition
•    Clean water
•    Immunization
•    Oral Rehydration Therapy
•    Birth spacing

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