Infant Data
What is infant mortality?
Infant mortality is defined as the death of an infant under age one. The infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births and is a key indicator of the overall health of a community. Simply stated, a lower infant mortality rate (IMR) suggests a healthier community.
The Data
3-Year Infant Mortality Rates
Note: The rates are presented in 3-year time periods to provide more stable averages that help when looking at long-term trends.
- Overall and Black infant mortality rate (IMR) was the 2nd lowest 3-year rate in the past 10 years.
- White IMR exceeded the Healthy People 2030 IMR goal of 5.0 or less.
- From 2021 to 2023, Black families were nearly three times as likely to experience an infant loss than white families.
Breakdown of 2023 Birth and Deaths by Ethnicity of Race in Cuyahoga County
- In 2023, Black babies accounted for 33% of Cuyahoga County births and 59% of their infant deaths.
- In 2023, White babies accounted for 51% of Cuyahoga County births and 30% of their infant deaths.
2019-2023 Preterm Birth Rate
- Prematurity, also known as preterm birth, is when a baby is born before 37 weeks gestation. Currently, prematurity is the #1 cause of infant death in Cuyahoga County, accounting for approximately 35% of all infant deaths from 2021 to 2023.
- From 2019 to 2023, 11.8% of all babies born in Cuyahoga County were born prematurely.
- From 2019 to 2023, 15.4% of Black babies in Cuyahoga County were born prematurely.
2019-2023 Sleep-Related Deaths in Cuyahoga County
- Sleep-related death is the sudden and unexpected death of a baby while sleeping. It is the #1 cause of infant death for babies 1 month old and older.
- 101 sleep-related infant deaths occurred in Cuyahoga County from 2019 to 2023, an average of 20 sleep-related deaths per year.
- 72% of sleep-related infant deaths occurred in the city of Cleveland from 2019 to 2023.
Sources:
- Cuyahoga County Board of Health
- Cuyahoga County Child Fatality Review Board