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Maine
Statistics on children, youth and families in Maine from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Maine Children's Alliance
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Why This Indicator Matters
Infant mortality is an important marker of the overall health of a society. Structural factors affecting the health of entire populations have an impact on the mortality rate of infants. The latest national data shows that the infant mortality in the United States in 2022was 5.6 per 1,000 live births. The most common causes of infant death in the United States were the following: birth defects, preterm birth and low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), pregnancy complications and accidents. CDC Facts about Infant Mortality
What the data shows
According to the National CDC, in 2021, Maine had a higher one-year infant mortality rate than all of the other New England states. 2021 Infant Mortality Rates by State In 2021, Vermont was number 1 in the nation in 2020 with the lowest infant mortality rate. Over all Maine was 19th in 2021 with a rate of 5.0,
In terms of trends, infant mortality in Maine was lowest for the five-year period ending in 2000 and ending in 2003 at 5.0. Since 2003, infant mortality was increased, through 2011-2015. The next six 5-year time periods saw decreases with the 2017-2021 rate of 5.6 is the lowest since 2002-2006. But the 2018-2022 rate of 5.8 was worse than the two previous time periods and matched the years 2015-2019.
For the most recent 5-year period, 2018-2022, the counties with the highest infant mortality rates were Franklin, Piscataquis and Aroostook with 5-yr rates of 11.7, 8.2 and 6.9 per 1,000 births respectively. The counties with the lowest rates per 1,000 births, based on 5-year averages for 2018-2022 were Waldo, Cumberland and Knox with rates between 4.7 and 4.9.
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What the data shows
According to the National CDC, in 2021, Maine had a higher one-year infant mortality rate than all of the other New England states. 2021 Infant Mortality Rates by State In 2021, Vermont was number 1 in the nation in 2020 with the lowest infant mortality rate. Over all Maine was 19th in 2021 with a rate of 5.0,
In terms of trends, infant mortality in Maine was lowest for the five-year period ending in 2000 and ending in 2003 at 5.0. Since 2003, infant mortality was increased, through 2011-2015. The next six 5-year time periods saw decreases with the 2017-2021 rate of 5.6 is the lowest since 2002-2006. But the 2018-2022 rate of 5.8 was worse than the two previous time periods and matched the years 2015-2019.
For the most recent 5-year period, 2018-2022, the counties with the highest infant mortality rates were Franklin, Piscataquis and Aroostook with 5-yr rates of 11.7, 8.2 and 6.9 per 1,000 births respectively. The counties with the lowest rates per 1,000 births, based on 5-year averages for 2018-2022 were Waldo, Cumberland and Knox with rates between 4.7 and 4.9.
Definition and Source
PROVIDER
Definition
The rate of deaths of infants under 1 year of age in comparison to live births occurring during the same time period. The rate is per 1,000 live births. The data are reported by place of residence, not the place of death. Data is reported as 5-year rates, where the year shown refers to the last year, i.e. 2022 refers to 2018-2022, and 2021 refers to 2017-2021 and so on.
Data Source
Notes
Data represent five-year averages, with the last year of the five-year spread indicated here: 2021 represents the annual average of the data from 2018-2022, 2021 represents the annual average of data from 2017-2021, etc .s represents Suppressed and shows when the number of infant deaths over 5 years is fewer than 6. Zero will show if the number is zero.
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Last Updated
January 2024