EU Infant Mortality Rates: A Shocking Trend
Unanticipatedly Dark Image of Infant Mortality Rates Throughout European Union Emerges
By Maud Zaba
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🔗 Links 🔗- Romania, France, and Spain see alarming infant mortality rates- Lowest infant mortality rates found in Latvia and Sweden- Portugal's 20% spike in infant mortality defies general mortality trend- Factors driving the infant mortality rate increase- EU healthcare system struggles and closures in 2024
📈 Key Points 📈- France and Romania surpass EU average infant mortality rates in 2024- Romania witnesses a significant surge, from 2.1 to 6.4 deaths per 1,000 live births- France reports a doubling of the rate, from 2 to 4.1 deaths per 1,000- Boys are 1.2 times more likely to die before age 1; twins/triplets are 5x more at risk- Causes behind Portugal's increase are unclear, but potential factors include rising mother age, multiple pregnancies, and geographic healthcare disparities- Latvia and Sweden have the lowest infant mortality rates in the EU- Lithuania, Ireland, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Slovenia have estimated figures- Health staff shortages, maternity hospital closures, workforce aging, and declining interest in health careers impact EU healthcare scene in 2024
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EU Nations Face Shocking Infant Mortality Crisis
Among EU countries in 2024, Romania, France, and Spain reported some of the highest infant mortality rates, while Latvia and Sweden held the lowest [1][2].
The infant mortality rate represents the number of deaths for children under one year of age per 1,000 live births. Regrettably, at least eight EU countries experienced an increase in the rate during 2024.
In 2024, both France and Romania surpassed the EU average of 3.3 deaths per 1,000 live births documented in 2023. Romania saw a dramatic increase, with the rate jumping from 2.1 deaths in 2023 to a startling 6.4 in 2024. France's rate, too, experienced a concerning doubling, from 2 deaths in 2023 to 4.1 deaths in 2024 [3].
These figures suggest that one child out of every 250 in France won't survive their first year, while Romania witnesses an even more alarming loss [4].
Since 2015, France's rate has consistently outpaced the EU average. Additionally, boys are 1.2 times more likely than girls to perish before their first birthday, and twins or triplets are 5 times more susceptible than other children.
Portugal, however, is a disheartening exception, having registered a 20% increase in the infant mortality rate – contradicting the general downward trend of mortality in the country. Their increased rate might be the result of an aging maternal population, an increase in multiple pregnancies, and geographic disparities in maternal health care access [5].
On the other hand, Latvia and Sweden have remarkably low infant mortality rates, underscoring the importance of effective healthcare systems and socio-economic conditions in reducing infant mortality.
Unfortunately, Lithuania, Ireland, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Slovenia can only offer estimated figures.
EU health statistics reveal a gloomy 2024, aggravated by healthcare staff shortages and the closure of some maternity hospitals in countries like Portugal, Germany, and France. In 2024, ten Portuguese maternity wards were either closed or partially closed, following the presentation of a Health Emergency and Transformation Plan to ensure general healthcare access in three months [6].
In the past decade, 15% of affordable-care, small maternity units in France have closed. Over the past two decades, the number of physicians and nurses per capita has improved substantially in most EU countries, yet the healthcare workforce now ages and faces dwindling interest among young people due to low salaries and unsatisfactory working conditions [7].
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- The increase in infant mortality rates in France and Romania might be linked to a decreased focus on health-and-wellness careers in the European Union, as the aging workforce and declining interest among young professionals could lead to staff shortages in healthcare facilities.
- Efforts to improve health-and-wellness, especially in the areas of science and healthcare, are crucial in understanding and addressing the rising infant mortality rates in countries like France and Romania, in order to prevent further increases and achieve the lowest rates found in countries such as Latvia and Sweden.
