Life Expectancy Improves; Infant Mortality Does Not
Americans are living longer than ever, according to new longevity indicators, but the latest health gains have bypassed the nation’s infants.
Infant mortality remained at 7.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1998, the first year in the past 40 that there was no improvement. Mortality rates for black infants remain twice those of white infants.
And more babies were born at low birth weights (7.6% of all births, compared to 7.5% in 1997). Low birth weight is defined as less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces at birth.
Among many positive milestones, however, overall life expectancy reached a record high of 76.7 years for Americans born in 1998.
Also in 1998:
* Timely prenatal care reached a record 82.8% of pregnant women.
* The teen birth rate fell 2%, continuing a seven-year trend.
* Deaths from HIV and AIDS dropped to 4.9 deaths per 100,000, the lowest rate since 1987.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics
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