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Diseases » Infant Death » Causes
 

Causes of Infant Death

Infant Death Causes: Book Excerpts

Infant Death: Related Medical Conditions

To research the causes of Infant Death, consider researching the causes of these these diseases that may be similar, or associated with Infant Death:

Infant Death: Causes and Types

Causes of Types of Infant Death: Review the cause informationfor the various types of Infant Death:

Causes of Broader Categories of Infant Death: Review the causal information about the various more general categories of medical conditions:

Infant Death as a complication of other conditions:

Other conditions that might have Infant Death as a complication may, potentially, be an underlying cause of Infant Death. Our database lists the following as having Infant Death as a complication of that condition:

Infant Death as a symptom:

Conditions listing Infant Death as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Infant Death. Our database lists the following as having Infant Death as a symptom of that condition:

Medical news summaries relating to Infant Death:

The following medical news items are relevant to causes of Infant Death:

Cause statistics for Infant Death:

The following are statistics from various sources about the causes of Infant Death:

  • 10% of cases of infant deaths caused by smoking in the US (American Lung Association)
  • Top ten causes of infant death:
    • Number 1 cause of infant death is Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (NVSR Sep 2001)
    • Number 2 cause of infant death is complications of prematurity or low birthweight (NVSR Sep 2001)
    • Number 3 cause of infant death is Sudden infant death syndrome (NVSR Sep 2001)
    • Number 4 cause of infant death is maternal complications of pregnancy (NVSR Sep 2001)
    • Number 5 cause of infant death is Respiratory distress syndrome (NVSR Sep 2001)
    • Number 6 cause of infant death is complications of placenta, cord, and membranes (NVSR Sep 2001)
    • Number 7 cause of infant death is Accidents (NVSR Sep 2001)
    • Number 8 cause of infant death is Bacterial sepsis (NVSR Sep 2001)
    • Number 9 cause of infant death is circulatory system disorders (NVSR Sep 2001)
    • Number 10 cause of infant death is Atelectasis (NVSR Sep 2001)
  • Top causes of death for infants aged less than 1 year in the USA 1999 [CDC NVSR 2001]:
    • congenital defects including chromosome conditions caused 19.6% of deaths less than 1 year old in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • Disorders related to prematurity and low birth weight caused 15.7% of deaths less than 1 year old in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • SIDS caused 9.5% of deaths less than 1 year old in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • Maternal pregnancy complications affecting newborn caused 5.0% of deaths less than 1 year old in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • respiratory distress syndrome of newborn caused 4.0% of deaths less than 1 year old in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • Complications of placenta affecting newborn caused 3.7% of deaths less than 1 year old in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • accidents caused 3.0% of deaths less than 1 year old in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • bacterial sepsis of newborn caused 2.5% of deaths less than 1 year old in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • circulatory system diseases caused 2.4% of deaths less than 1 year old in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • atelectasis caused 2.3% of deaths less than 1 year old in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • Other causes caused 32.4% of deaths less than 1 year old in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
  • Top causes of death for neonates caused first 28 days in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001] in the USA 1999:
    • Disorders related to prematurity and low birth weight caused 23.1% of deaths for neonates in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001] [CDC NVSR 2001]
    • congenital defects including chromosome conditions caused 20.8% of deaths for neonates in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001] [CDC NVSR 2001]
    • Maternal pregnancy complications affecting newborn caused 7.4% of deaths for neonates in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001] [CDC NVSR 2001]
    • respiratory distress syndrome of newborn caused 5.6% of deaths for neonates in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001] [CDC NVSR 2001]
    • Complications of placenta affecting newborn caused 5.4% of deaths for neonates in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001] [CDC NVSR 2001]
    • bacterial sepsis of newborn caused 3.5% of deaths for neonates in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001] [CDC NVSR 2001]
    • atelectasis caused 3.4% of deaths for neonates in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001] [CDC NVSR 2001]
    • In-uterus hypoxia and birth asphyxia caused 3.1% of deaths for neonates in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001] [CDC NVSR 2001]
    • neonatal hemorrhage caused 2.6% of deaths for neonates in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001] [CDC NVSR 2001]
    • necrotizing enterocolitis of newborn caused 1.9% of deaths for neonates in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001] [CDC NVSR 2001]
    • Other causes caused 23.2% of deaths for neonates in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001] [CDC NVSR 2001]
  • Top ten causes of death for non-neonate infants aged less than 1 year but older than 28 days in the USA 1999 [CDC NVSR 2001]:
    • SIDS caused 26.5% of deaths for non-neonate infants in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • congenital defects including chromosome conditions caused 19.4% of deaths for non-neonate infants in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • accidents caused 8.1% of deaths for non-neonate infants in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • circulatory system diseases caused 4.5% of deaths for non-neonate infants in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • septicemia caused 2.8% of deaths for non-neonate infants in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • homicide caused 2.8% of deaths for non-neonate infants in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • chronic respiratory disease from perinatal period caused 2.7% of deaths for non-neonate infants in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • Digestive conditions including gastritis, duodenitis, non-infectious enteritis, and colitis caused 2.2% of deaths for non-neonate infants in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • meningitis caused 0.9% of deaths for non-neonate infants in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • Other causes caused 27.4% of deaths for non-neonate infants in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
  • Top ten causes of death for age 1-4 years in the USA 1999 [CDC NVSR 2001]:
    • accidents caused 36.2% of deaths for age 1-4 years in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • congenital defects including chromosome conditions caused 10.5% of deaths for age 1-4 years in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • cancer caused 8.0% of deaths for age 1-4 years in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • homicide caused 7.2% of deaths for age 1-4 years in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • heart disease caused 3.5% of deaths for age 1-4 years in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • influenza and pneumonia caused 2.5% of deaths for age 1-4 years in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • perinatal conditions caused 1.8% of deaths for age 1-4 years in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • septicemia caused 1.7% of deaths for age 1-4 years in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • Non-malignant cancers caused 1.2% of deaths for age 1-4 years in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • Chronic lower respiratory diseases caused 1.0% of deaths for age 1-4 years in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
    • Other causes caused 26.7% of deaths for age 1-4 years in USA 1999 [NVSR 2001]
  • more statistics...»

Related information on causes of Infant Death:

As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Infant Death may be found in:

Causes of Infant Death: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Infant Death.

Sudden infant death syndrome: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

SIDS is the third leading cause of death in infants between age 1 month and 1 year. It occurs more commonly in winter months. The incidence is higher in males, premature neonates, and those who sleep on their stomachs or in cribs with soft bedding. Incidence is also higher among neonates born in conditions of poverty and to those who were one of a single multiple birth, such as twins and triplets, and to mothers who smoke, take drugs, or failed to seek prenatal care until late in the pregnancy. SIDS may also result from an abnormality in the control of ventilation that allows carbon dioxide to build up in the blood, thereby causing prolonged apneic periods with profound hypoxemia and serious cardiac arrhythmias. It’s also thought to be associated with problems in sleep arousal.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Sudden infant death syndrome: Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)

SIDS is one of the leading causes of infant death. Most of these deaths occur during the winter, in poor families, and among underweight babies and those born to mothers younger than age 20.

Although infants who die from SIDS often appear healthy, research suggests that many may have had undetected abnormalities, such as an immature respiratory system and respiratory dysfunction. In fact, the current thinking is that SIDS may result from an abnormality in the control of ventilation, which causes prolonged apneic periods with profound hypoxemia and serious cardiac arrhythmias.

Risk factors for the infant include sleeping on the stomach (up to age 4 months), soft bedding in the crib (up to age 1 year), premature birth, having a history of a sibling who had SIDS, and being born into poverty. Maternal risk factors include multiple births, smoking or illicit drug use, teenage motherhood, short intervals between pregnancies, and late prenatal care.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003


 » Next page: Risk Factors for Infant Death

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