Causes of<unk><unk>  directly lead to the death. Environmental and social barriers prevent access to basic medical resources and thus contribute to an increasing<unk> ; 99% of<unk>  deaths occur in developing countries, and 86% of these deaths are due to infections, premature births, complications during delivery, and perinatal asphyxia and birth injuries. Greatest percentage reduction of<unk><unk>  occurs in countries that already have low rates of<unk><unk> . Common causes are preventable with low-cost measures. In the United States, a primary determinant of<unk><unk>  risk is<unk>  birth weight with lower birth weights increasing the risk of<unk><unk> . The determinants of low birth weight include socio-economic, psychological, behavioral and environmental factors. Medicine and biology Causes of<unk><unk>  and deaths that are related to medical conditions include: low birth weight, sudden<unk>  death syndrome, malnutrition, congenital malformations, and infectious diseases, low income for health care including neglected tropical diseases. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that<unk> s need multiple doses of vaccines such as diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccine, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine, Hepatitis B (HepB) vaccine, inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), and pneumococcal vaccine (PCV). Research was conducted by the Institute of Medicine's Immunization Safety Review Committee concluded that there is no relationship between these vaccines and risk of SIDS in<unk> s. Premature birth Premature, or preterm birth (PTB) is defined as birth before 37 weeks of gestation and can be further sub-classified as extremely PTB (occurring at less than 28 weeks gestation), very preterm birth (occurring between 28 and 32 weeks gestation), and moderate to late PTB (occurring from 32 through 36 weeks gestation). Lower gestational age increases the risk of<unk><unk> . Over the last decade, prematurity has been the leading cause of worldwide<unk>  for neonates and children under the age of five. The overall PTB<unk>  rate in 2010 was 11.1% (15 million deaths) worldwide and was highest in low to middle income countries in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia (60% of all PTBs), compared with high income countries in Europe, or the United States. Low income countries also have limited resources to care for the needs of preterm<unk> s, which increases the risk of<unk><unk> . The survival rate in these countries, for<unk> s born before 28 weeks of gestation is 10%, compared with a 90% survival rate in high income countries. Premature birth can be either spontaneous, or medically induced. The risk of spontaneous PTB increases with "extremes of maternal age (both young and old), short interpregnancy interval, multiple gestation, assisted reproductive technology, prior PTB, family history, substance abuse, cigarette use, low maternal socioeconomic status, late or no prenatal care, low maternal prepregnancy weight, bacterial vaginosis, periodontal disease, and poor pregnancy weight gain." Medically induced PTB are often conducted when continued pregnancy poses significant risks to the mother, or fetus. The most common attributing factors for medically induced PTB include preeclampsia, diabetes, maternal medical conditions, and fetal distress, or developmental problems. Despite these risk factors, the underlying causes of premature<unk>  death are often unknown and approximately 65% of all cases are not associated with any known risk factor. Understanding the biological causes and predictors is important for identifying and preventing premature birth and<unk><unk> . While the exact mechanisms responsible for inducing premature birth are often unknown, many of the underlying risk factors are associated with inflammation. Approximately "80% preterm births that occur at Malnutrition or undernutrition is defined as inadequate intake of nourishment, such as proteins and vitamins, which adversely affects the growth, energy and development of people all over the world. It is especially prevalent in women and<unk> s under 5 who live in developing countries within the poorer regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Children are most vulnerable as they have yet to fully develop a strong immune system, as well as being dependent upon parents to provide the necessary food and nutritional intake. It is estimated that about 3.5 million children die each year as a result of childhood or maternal malnutrition, with stunted growth, low body weight and low birth weight accounting for about 2.2 million associated deaths. Factors which contribute to malnutrition are socioeconomic, environmental, gender status, regional location, and breastfeeding cultural practices. It is difficult to assess the most pressing factor as they can intertwine and vary among regions. Adverse effects of malnutrition Children suffering from malnutrition face adverse physical effects such as stunting, wasting, or being overweight. Such characteristics entail difference in weight-and-height ratios for age in comparison to adequate standards. In Africa the number of stunted children has risen, while Asia holds the most children under 5 suffering from wasting. The number of overweight children has increased among all regions of the globe. Inadequate nutrients adversely effect physical and cognitive developments, increasing susceptibility to severe health problems. Micronutrient deficiency such as iron has been linked to children with anemia, fatigue, and poor brain development. Similarly, the lack of Vitamin A is the leading cause of blindness among malnourished children. The outcome of malnutrition in children results in decreased ability of the immune system to fight infections, resulting in higher rates of death from diseases such as malaria, respiratory disease and diarrhea. Infectious diseases Babies born in low to middle income countries in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia are at the highest risk of neonatal death. Bacterial infections of the bloodstream, lungs, and the brain's covering (meningitis) are responsible for 25% of neonatal deaths. Newborns can acquire infections during birth from bacteria that are present in their mother's reproductive tract. The mother may not be aware of the infection, or she may have an untreated pelvic inflammatory disease or sexually transmitted disease. These bacteria can move up the vaginal canal into the amniotic sac surrounding the baby. Maternal blood-borne infection is another route of bacterial infection from mother to baby. Neonatal infection is also more likely with the premature rupture of the membranes (PROM) of the amniotic sac. Seven out of ten childhood deaths are due to infectious diseases: acute respiratory infection, diarrhea, measles, and malaria. Acute respiratory infection such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and bronchiolitis account for 30% of childhood deaths; 95% of pneumonia cases occur in the developing world. Diarrhea is the second-largest cause of childhood<unk>  in the world, while malaria causes 11% of childhood deaths. Measles is the fifth-largest cause of childhood<unk> . Folic acid for mothers is one way to combat iron deficiency. A few public health measures used to lower levels of iron deficiency anemia include iodize salt or drinking water, and include vitamin A and multivitamin supplements into a mother's diet. A deficiency of this vitamin causes certain types of anemia (low red blood cell count). Environmental<unk>  can be a measure of a nation's health and social condition. It is a composite of a number of component rates which have their separate relationship with various social factors and can often be seen as an indicator to measure the level of socioeconomic disparity within a country. Organic water pollution is a better indicator of<unk><unk>  than health expenditures per capita. Water contaminated with various pathogens houses a host of parasitic and microbial infections. Infectious disease and parasites are carried via water pollution from animal wastes. Areas of low socioeconomic status are more prone to inadequate plumbing infrastructure, and poorly maintained facilities. The burning of inefficient fuels doubles the rate of children under 5 years old with acute respiratory tract infections. Climate and geography often play a role in sanitation conditions. For example, the inaccessibility of clean water exacerbates poor sanitation conditions. People who live in areas where particulate matter (PM) air pollution is higher tend to have more health problems across the board. Short-term and long-term effects of ambient air pollution are associated with an increased<unk>  rate, including<unk><unk> . Air pollution is consistently associated with post neonatal<unk>  due to respiratory effects and sudden<unk>  death syndrome. Specifically, air pollution is highly associated with SIDs in the United States during the post-neonatal stage. High<unk><unk>  is exacerbated because newborns are a vulnerable subgroup that is affected by air pollution. Newborns who were born into these environments are no exception. Women who are exposed to greater air pollution on a daily basis who are pregnant should be closely watched by their doctors, as well as after the baby is born. Babies who live in areas with less air pollution have a greater chance of living until their first birthday. As expected, babies who live in environments with more air pollution are at greater risk for<unk><unk> . Areas that have higher air pollution also have a greater chance of having a higher population density, higher crime rates and lower income levels, all of which can lead to higher<unk> s. The key pollutant for<unk> s is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that does great harm especially to<unk> s because of their immature respiratory system. Another major pollutant is second-hand
Infant Mortality Rate
Perinatal mortality
Child mortality
Maternal mortality ratio
Infection rate
Mortality rate
Infant formula
Case fatality rate