Linked Birth and Infant Death Data

The linked birth and infant death data set is a valuable tool for monitoring and exploring the complex inter-relationships between infant death and risk factors present at birth. In the linked birth and infant death data set the information from the death certificate is linked to the information from the birth certificate for each infant under 1 year of age who dies in the United States, Puerto Rico, The Virgin Islands, and Guam. The purpose of the linkage is to use the many additional variables available from the birth certificate to conduct more detailed analyses of infant mortality patterns. The linked files include information from the birth certificate such as age, race, and Hispanic origin of the parents, birth weight, period of gestation, plurality, prenatal care usage, maternal education, live birth order, marital status, and maternal smoking, linked to information from the death certificate such as age at death and underlying and multiple cause of death.

 

Publications

Recent Trends in Infant Mortality in the United States

Infant Mortality Statistics from the 2005 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set
PDF Version (744 KB)

Trends in Preterm-Related Infant Mortality by Race and Ethnicity, 1999-2004

Infant Mortality Statistics from the 2004 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set
PDF Version (786 KB)

Infant Mortality Statistics from the 2003 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set
PDF Version (685 KB)

Explaining the 2001-2002 Infant Mortality Increase: Data from the Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set
PDF Version (1.1 MB)

Infant Mortality Statistics from the 2002 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set
Hoja Informativa (Fact Sheet in Spanish)

Infant Mortality Statistics from the 2001 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set

Infant Mortality Statistics from the 2000 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set

Infant Mortality Statistics From the 1999 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set
PDF Version (1.3 MB)

Infant Mortality Statistics From the 1998 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set
PDF Version (1 MB)

Infant Mortality Statistics From the 1997 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set
PDF Version (227 KB)

Infant Mortality Statistics From the 1996 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set
PDF Version (433 KB)

Infant Mortality Statistics From the Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set - 1995 Period Data
PDF Version (252 KB)

 

Tabulated Data

• VitalStats – interactive online data and tables

 

Data Collection

• U.S. Standard Birth Certificate
  PDF Version (83 KB)
• U.S. Standard Death Certificate
  PDF Version (187 KB)

 

Data Processing

• Instruction Manuals
• International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9)
• International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10)

 

Micro-data

• VitalStats – interactive online data and tables
• Access to downloadable data sets - Vital Statistics Online

 

Downloadable Data Sets are Available in Two Different Formats

The linked birth and infant death data set is available in two different formats: period data and birth cohort data. The numerator for the period linked file consists of all infant deaths occuring in a given data year linked to their corresponding birth certiicates, whether the birth occurred in that year or the previous year. The numerator for the birth cohort linked file consists of deaths to infants born in a given year. In both cases, the denominator is all births occurring in the year.

The release of linked file data in two different formats allows NCHS to meet customer demands for more timely linked files while still meeting the needs of data users who prefer the birth cohort format. While the birth cohort format has methodological advantages, it creates substantial delays in data availability, since it is necessary to wait until the close of the following data year to include all infant deaths to the birth cohort. Period linked files are currently available for the 1995-2005 data years. Birth cohort linked files are currently available for the 1983-91, and 1995-2003 data years. Linked files were not produced for the 1992-94 data years. Beginning with 1995 data, the period linked file is the basis for all official NCHS linked file statistics (except for special cohort studies).