The authors evaluated the trends and risk factors relating to infant mortality in Israel over five decades (1950???2000), based on data obtained from official notifications of live births, and death certificates. Until the 1960s, the main cause of infant mortality was infectious disease; this was replaced by congenital anomalies in Moslems and Druzes, and pre-term birth in Jews and Christians. In 2000, the national infant mortality rate (IMR) was 5.4 per 1000 live births (Jews 3.9; Moslems 9.2; Christians 3.6; Druzes 6.3). Between 1955 and 2000 the overall IMR declined sevenfold. In 2000, the main risk factors were birth weight, major congenital malformations, and multiple births. Today, infant mortality in Israel represents a unique combination of high rate of congenital malformations among Moslems, where consanguineous marriages are common, and medical termination of pregnancy of malformed fetuses are infrequent; and relatively high IMRs from pre-term birth in Jews, associated with high rates of assisted reproduction. The authors conclude that the marked decline in IMRs in Israel over five decades reflects a major improvement in population health.
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bsc/ppe/2005/00000019/00000002/art00011