Infant mortality and birth rates

Abstract

It has been suggested that decreasing infant mortality is a prerequisite for decreasing birth rates and the experience in several countries shows that decreasing infant mortality rates are indeed followed by declining birth rates. Actually, industrialised countries with their low infant mortality have low birth rates. In contrast, the highest birth rates are found in countries with the highest infant mortality (Tables 5.1a and b).1 A few developing countries, such as Sri Lanka, China and Costa Rica, have managed to decrease the child death rates substantially.2 This has been followed (or preceded) by a decline in birth rates to some of the lowest levels among developing countries. — But is this a true connection?