Infant mortality in Guatemala: an epidemiological perspective.

Infant mortality is a major health problem in Guatemala where it accounts for for 25% of all registered deaths or 75 deaths for every 1000 livebirths. Infection and malnutrition are the main causes of infant death. Risk factors for death during infancy include low birthweight, high birth order, Indian race, rural residence, and lack of maternal education, with wide differences in risk among population subgroups. Intervention studies have shown that a simplified medical system relying on local personnel with limited training, combined with nutritional supplements for mothers and infants at high risk, can substantially reduce infant mortality at a reasonable cost. Lessons learned from Guatemala can be applied to much of the developing world.