Infant mortality is spelled with /ˈɪnfənt mɔːˈtæləti/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable "in" is pronounced as /ɪn/ with a short "i" sound, and the second syllable "fant" is pronounced as /fənt/ with a schwa sound. The stress is on the second syllable, indicated by the apostrophe-like mark before "tal". The word is spelled as "mortality" with the letter "o" pronounced as a short "o" sound /ɒ/. Overall, the pronunciation and spelling are straightforward and follow typical English language phonetic rules.
Infant mortality refers to the number of deaths that occur within the first year of a child's life, usually expressed as the number of deaths per 1,000 live births in a given population. It is considered an important indicator of the overall health and well-being of a society, as well as the quality of healthcare and living conditions provided to infants and their mothers.
Infant mortality is influenced by various factors, including access to adequate healthcare services, nutritional status, sanitation, socioeconomic conditions, education, and cultural practices. Higher rates of infant mortality are often observed in developing countries or marginalized communities within developed countries where these factors may be lacking or limited.
The causes of infant mortality vary widely and can include congenital abnormalities, prematurity, low birth weight, infections, respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, accidents, and factors related to maternal health such as pregnancy complications or inadequate prenatal care.
Efforts to reduce infant mortality typically involve improving healthcare infrastructure, access to prenatal care, nutrition and sanitation, immunization programs, and general socio-economic development. These interventions aim to address both the prevention and treatment of underlying causes of infant mortality and have been successful in reducing infant mortality rates over time, particularly in more developed regions of the world.
Overall, monitoring and addressing infant mortality rates is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of healthcare systems, identifying areas of improvement, and ensuring the well-being of the most vulnerable members of society.
The term "infant mortality" is composed of two words: "infant" and "mortality".
The word "infant" comes from the Latin word "infans", which means "not speaking" or "unable to speak". It is derived from the combination of the prefix "in" (meaning "not") and the present participle of "fari" (meaning "to speak").
The word "mortality" refers to the state or condition of being mortal or subject to death. It is derived from the Latin word "mortalitas", which is formed from "mortalis" (meaning "mortal" or "subject to death").
Therefore, the term "infant mortality" refers to the death of babies or young children before reaching the age of one. It is used to describe the rate or statistics regarding the number of deaths occurring during infancy in a particular population.