What is infant mortality rate?

The infant mortality rate (IMR) is a statistical measure that indicates the number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births in a given geographic area, such as a country, state, or county, over a specified time period, usually a calendar year.

Here is the calculation formula for IMR:

[ \text{IMR} = \left( \frac{\text{Number of resident infant deaths under one year of age}}{\text{Number of resident live births}} \right) \times 1,000 ]

For example, if there were 1,300 infant deaths and 150,000 live births in a year, the IMR would be:

[ \text{IMR} = \left( \frac{1,300}{150,000} \right) \times 1,000 = 8.7 \text{ infant deaths per 1,000 live births} ]123.

The IMR is considered a key indicator of the overall health status and quality of life in a geographic area, reflecting factors such as access to healthcare, maternal health, and environmental conditions.