Contents:
- Medical Video: Preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
- The causes of infant mortality often occur in various parts of the world
- 1. Birth defects
- 2. Premature birth and low birth weight
- 3. Complications of pregnancy
- 4. Sudden infant death syndrome
- 5. Other causes
Medical Video: Preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Infant mortality rate (IMR) is the number of infant deaths under one year for every 1,000 live births. Based on data from the Ministry of Health in 2015, the infant mortality rate in Indonesia reached 23. This means that there are around 23 deaths per 1,000 babies born.
Over the past few years Indonesian IMR has decreased. Even so, no one can predict when and how someone died. So, pregnant women still have to maintain health conditions and routinely check their pregnancy.
The causes of infant mortality can vary, but the various things below are among the most common causes of death in infants.
The causes of infant mortality often occur in various parts of the world
1. Birth defects
In 2014, 4,716 babies in the United States died from birth defects. This includes up to 20.4 percent of all infant deaths.
Birth defects are problems that occur when the fetus is still developing in the womb. This condition can begin to occur at each stage of pregnancy. Birth defects usually occur in the first 3 months of pregnancy. When baby's organs begin to form.
A baby with a birth defect is a condition where the body's structure and function are not normal at birth which causes physical and mental limitations. Some cases can even cause death in infants before the age of one year.
Structural birth defects are related to problems in parts of the body, such as cleft lip or cleft palate. These disorders can easily be treated. Other birth defects may require lifelong care and can even cause death, such as Down syndrome and heart abnormalities.
2. Premature birth and low birth weight
Premature birth is the birth of a baby before 37 weeks' gestation. In general, babies born prematurely have a lower birth weight than normal babies. Babies are said to have low birth weight if they weigh less than 2.5 kg. While infants classified as very low birth weight if under 1.5 kg, and extreme low birth weight if under 1 kg.
In 2005, 4,173 infants died from preterm birth or low birth weight (18 percent of total deaths).
3. Complications of pregnancy
Pregnancy complications are problems that occur in the mother during pregnancy. Pregnancy complications that often occur and have a negative effect on the baby include gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, urinary tract infections, anemia, gravidarum and other hyperemesis.
This condition can be caused by many changes in the body of pregnant women. For example hormonal changes, changes in body work, and changes in the body shape of the mother.
In 2005, 1,574 babies (6.8 percent of the total) died from complications of pregnancy.
4. Sudden infant death syndrome
Sudden or sudden infant death syndrome Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is sudden infant death while sleeping without knowing the cause and in good health. SIDS has become the leading cause of death in infants aged 30 days after birth. Many things can cause babies to die suddenly. There are those who associate it with abnormalities in the part of the brain that regulates the baby's breathing, the baby's sleep conditions that inhibit his breathing, and other things.
In 2005, 1,545 babies died of SIDS (6.7 percent of infant deaths).
5. Other causes
In addition to the four causes described above, there are also a number of other causes of infant mortality that are quite often reported. Here are other possible causes.
- Accidental accident or injury
- Lower respiratory tract infections (flu, pneumonia)
- Complications of umbilical cord and placental infections
- Bacterial sepsis
