Press Trust of India / New Delhi Oct 28, 2009, 13:15 IST
India has witnessed a steady decline in infant mortality rate over the last three years.The infant mortality rate in the country was 57 per 1,000 births in October 2007, 55 in 2008 and 53 in 2009.
According to the latest data released by the Registrar General of India, Madhya Pradesh had the highest mortality rate of 70 per 1,000 live births.The state also had the dubious distinction of the highest child mortality rate in 2008 as well as 2007 data with 74 and 72 respectively.
Closely following MP was Uttar Pradesh which had 71, 69 and 67 per 100 deaths in 2007, 2008 and 2009.Madhya Pradesh along with Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan reported above 80 infant mortality rates in the 1991 census.
Infant mortality rate is defined as the probability of a child born in a specific year or period dying before reaching the age of one, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of that period.The mortality rates also differ significantly between rural and urban areas.
While in villages of India the average infant mortality rate is 62 per 1,000 live births, in urban areas it is 39.
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