Infant Mortality rate in India

Infant Mortality Rate is defined as the infant deaths (less than one year) per thousand live births. The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)* for India as per the census 2011 was 44. At the National level, the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in 2017 Stands at 33.

It varies from 37 in rural areas to 23 in urban areas. Among the bigger States/UTs, it varies from 10 in Kerala to 47 in Madhya Pradesh. Female infants experienced higher mortality than male infants in all States except Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand.

Source: Based on Indian Census 2017 Studies

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Trend of Infant Mortality rate

The Infant Mortality Rate IMR for the country has come down to 33 in 2017 from 42 in 2012, a decline of 9 points over last 5 years and an annual average decline of about 1.8 points. The corresponding decline in rural IMR has been to the tune of 9 points (46 in 2012 to 37 in 2017) against a decline of 5 points in urban IMR (28 in 2012 to 23in 2017).

Both the gender have shown decline in the period 2012-17. Despite this decline, one in every 30 infants at the National level, one in every 27 infants in rural areas and one in every 43 infants in urban areas still die within one year of life.

Infant mortality rate State wise

Among the bigger States/UTs, Infant Mortality Rate is the lowest in Kerala i.e 10 & highest in Madhya Pradesh i.e 46. Female infants experienced higher mortality than male infants in all States except Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand.

Infant mortality rate	Total	Male	Females
India	33	32	34
Andhra Pradesh	32	31	33
Assam	44	41	46
Bihar	35	34	37
Chhattisgarh	38	39	37
Delhi	16	17	16
Gujarat	30	30	30
Haryana	30	28	31
Himachal Pradesh*	23	22	23
Jammu & Kashmir	23	22	23
Jharkhand	29	25	33
Karnataka	25	24	26
Kerala	10	9	10
Madhya Pradesh	47	48	45
Maharashtra	19	18	19
Odisha	41	40	41
Punjab	21	20	22
Rajasthan	38	37	40
Tamil Nadu	16	17	16
Telangana	29	28	29
Uttar Pradesh	41	39	43
Uttarakhand	32	35	29
West Bengal	24	23	24

Source: Based on Indian Census 2017 Studies

5 States with Highest Infant Mortality Rate

Infant Mortality rate is Highest in Madhya Pradesh followed by Assam & Odisha. let’s have a look at the top 5 states where the Infant Mortality rate is highest in India

#	Infant mortality rate	Total	Male	Females
1	Madhya Pradesh	47	48	45
2	Assam	44	41	46
3	Odisha	41	40	41
4	Uttar Pradesh	41	39	43
5	Chhattisgarh	38	39	37
6	Rajasthan	38	37	40

5 States with Lowest Infant Mortality Rate

The Infant Mortality rate is the Lowest in Kerala followed by Delhi & Tamil Nadu. let’s have a look at the top 5 states where the Infant Mortality rate is lowest in India

#	Infant mortality rate	Total	Male	Females
1	Kerala	10	9	10
2	Delhi	16	17	16
3	Tamil Nadu	16	17	16
4	Maharashtra	19	18	19
5	Punjab	21	20	22

Infant mortality rate Rural Vs Urban India

At the All India level, the Infant mortality rate (IMR) is reported to be 33 and varies from 37 in rural areas to 23 in urban areas. Let’s have look at the Urban & rural Infant mortality rate of Bigger states of India

Infant mortality rate	Rural			Urban
Infant mortality rate	Total	Male	Females	Total	Male	Females
India	37	36	37	23	22	25
Andhra Pradesh	36	35	36	23	22	25
Assam	46	44	49	21	21	22
Bihar	36	34	38	31	29	33
Chhattisgarh	40	41	38	32	31	33
Delhi	12	16	8	16	17	16
Gujarat	36	36	35	22	20	23
Haryana	32	31	33	25	24	26
Himachal Pradesh*	23	22	24	15	18	12
Jammu & Kashmir	24	24	24	19	17	21
Jharkhand	30	27	34	24	19	31
Karnataka	27	26	28	22	20	24
Kerala	9	9	10	10	10	11
Madhya Pradesh	51	52	49	32	34	29
Maharashtra	23	21	24	14	14	13
Odisha	42	42	42	32	32	33
Punjab	22	22	23	19	18	20
Rajasthan	42	40	43	28	26	30
Tamil Nadu	19	20	18	14	14	15
Telangana	33	33	32	23	21	25
Uttar Pradesh	44	42	45	33	28	38
Uttarakhand	33	38	28	30	29	32
West Bengal	24	24	24	22	21	24

Source: Based on Indian Census 2017 Studies

Neo-natal mortality rate

Neo-natal mortality rate i.e. number of infant deaths less than 29 days of life per thousand live births. The neo-natal (less than 29 days) mortality rate for the year 2017 both at the National and State levels. At the National level, the neo-natal mortality rate is 23 and ranges from 14 in urban areas to 27 in rural areas. Among the bigger States/UTs, neo-natal mortality ranges from 5 in Kerala to 33 in Madhya Pradesh.

Neo-natal mortality rate (less than 29 days)	Total	Rural	Urban
India	23	27	14
Andhra Pradesh	23	27	11
Assam	22	23	13
Bihar	28	29	21
Chhattisgarh	26	27	21
Delhi	14	12	14
Gujarat	21	26	12
Haryana	21	23	16
Himachal Pradesh*	14	14	10
Jammu & Kashmir	17	18	14
Jharkhand	20	21	13
Karnataka	18	22	11
Kerala	5	7	4
Madhya Pradesh	33	36	20
Maharashtra	13	17	9
Odisha	32	34	23
Punjab	13	14	12
Rajasthan	27	30	16
Tamil Nadu	11	14	8
Telangana	20	23	15
Uttar Pradesh	30	33	18
Uttarakhand	24	24	23
West Bengal	17	17	14

Source: Based on Indian Census 2017 Studies

Early Neo-natal mortality rate

Early neo-natal mortality rate i.e. number of infant deaths less than seven days of life per thousand live births forms an important component of infant mortality rate and more specifically of the neo-natal mortality rate. At the National level, the early neo-natal mortality rate for the year 2017 has been estimated at 18 and ranges from 21 in rural areas to 10 in urban areas. Among the bigger States/UTs, neonatal mortality rate ranges from 4 in Kerala to 24 in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.

Early neo-natal mortality rate (less than 7 days)	Total	Rural	Urban
India	18	21	10
Andhra Pradesh	17	21	8
Assam	16	17	8
Bihar	21	22	13
Chhattisgarh	21	22	17
Delhi	11	8	11
Gujarat	16	20	11
Haryana	15	17	11
Himachal Pradesh	10	10	7
Jammu & Kashmir	13	14	10
Jharkhand	16	18	9
Karnataka	13	17	7
Kerala	4	5	3
Madhya Pradesh	24	26	17
Maharashtra	11	14	7
Odisha	24	25	16
Punjab	9	9	9
Rajasthan	21	24	13
Tamil Nadu	8 1	1 5	4
Telangana	14	18	9
Uttar Pradesh	23	26	14
Uttarakhand	18	18	18
West Bengal	13	13	11