Infant Mortality

Description of Indicator
This indicator measures the resident infant mortality rate for every 1,000 live births. The rate of death is among infants under one year old.

Why is it important?
Documenting the death rate of infants is vital in evaluating the general population’s health and wellness. It is also connected to the current condition of mothers giving birth and gaps in prenatal care.

How is the region performing?
The infant mortality rate has dropped to 6.0 in Luzerne County and was higher in the last two periods analyzed compared to Lackawanna County and statewide. Infant mortality rates in the three geographies have slowly declined. However, Lackawanna County experienced the most change, dropping from a rate of 7.7 in the 2015-2017 period to 5.5 in the 2019-2021 period. Wayne County data was not available.