INFANT SURVIVAL IN NORWAY AND SWEDEN, 1985-88

In recent years, considerable attention has been attached to the disqu ieting fact that infant survival is much lower in Norway than in Swede n. In the present study, comprising all live single births in Norway a nd Sweden during 1985-88, the observed infant mortality was 1.5 times higher in Norway than in Sweden. The largest difference between Norway and Sweden was found in infants of young mothers with high birth orde r. Thus for the second births of mothers aged less than 20 years the o bserved mortality ratio of Norway to Sweden was 1.8. The infant mortal ity ratio decreased with increasing maternal age for all birth orders, and for the second births of mothers aged 35 years or more the mortal ity ratio was 1.0. The higher infant mortality in Norway was evident t hroughout the first year of life, with the highest mortality ratio obs erved at 6-8 months of life. Adjustment for maternal age, birth order and geographical region did not alter the observed infant mortality ra tios. In both countries, the highest risk was found among infants of y oung mothers. This suggests a need for a more extensive preventive hea lth care system directed at young mothers during their pregnancy and t he infancy