Trends in infant mortality in Mexico in recent decades

Abstract

The infant mortality rate is a global health indicator, calculated by dividing the number of deaths of children under one year of age by the total number of deaths occurring in a calendar year. This review analyzes the evolution of infant mortality in Mexico from the 19th century to the present, identifying changes in both its magnitude and causes of death overtime, including differences in neonatal and post-neonatal mortality. In the first decades of the 20th century, mortality in Mexico gradually increased, but since around 1970, it has shown a sustained downward trend, decreasing from approximately 30% to less than 3%. This is because the causes of death have changed significantly, with infectious diseases being largely replaced by perinatal conditions and congenital malformations.