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7. Number of children dying under the age of one record low

The number of children who died under the age of one year decreased clearly from the previous year. In 2013, overall 98 children died in infancy, that is, under the age of one, which was 43 fewer children than in 2012. Infant mortality was 1.7 per 1,000 live-born children. The main causes of death among children under the age of one were perinatal reasons and inborn malformations (Table 4). Infectious diseases, accidents and violence are rare causes of death for infants. In 2013, only two children who died because of an accident or violence. The statistics include the children that have been registered in the Population Information System.

In 2013, there were 147 stillbirths, which was slightly fewer than in the year before (161). Perinatal mortality (deaths during the first week and stillborn) was 3.4 per thousand births. Around one-half of children dying during their first year of life die during their first week of life (in the early neonatal period) and 60 per cent during the first four weeks of life (in the neonatal period). The main causes of death after the neonatal period are inborn malformations and cot deaths. In 2013, there were 11 cot deaths. Cot deaths mostly occur to children over the age of one month.

The mortality of children aged 1 to 14 has halved over the past twenty years. In 2013, the number of deaths among children was 78, which is 20 fewer than in the previous year. This corresponds with approximately nine deaths per 100,000 population. The commonest causes of death for children aged 1 to 14 were cancers and accidents.

Over the past ten years, three women per year have, on average, died from pregnancy or in childbirth (ICD codes O00–O99). The year 2011 was the first year in the history of the statistics on causes of death when there were no maternal deaths. In 2012, there were two maternal deaths and in 2013 one, which meant that maternal mortality was 1.7 deaths per 100,000 live-born children.

More information about mortality during infant and perinatal period can be found in Appendix table 3.

Figure 11. Mortality during infant and perinatal period in 1992–2013

Table 4. Causes of death among children under the age of one 2002, 2009, 2012 and 2013

	2002	2009	2012	2013
Total deaths	165	160	141	98
Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P00–P96)	75	74	51	41
Congenital malformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00–Q99)	51	52	43	31
Sudden infant death syndrome (R95)	13	15	12	11
Diseases of circulatory system and respiratory system (J00–J99, I00–I99)	4	5	7	3
Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00–E90)	0	5	5	3
Other diseases and unknown	17	4	19	7
Accidents and assault (V01–X44, X46–Y89)	5	5	4	2

Source: Causes of death, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Airi Pajunen 029 551 3605, Jari Hellanto 029 551 3291, kuolemansyyt@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Updated 30.12.2014