Infant mortality rate by sex in Ireland
Ireland: Infant mortality rate by sex was 0.3178 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.3178 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
166th
of 199 countries
All-time high
3.96 deaths per 100 live births
in 1950
All-time low
0.2773 deaths per 100 live births
in 2018
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Infant mortality rate by sex in Ireland, 1950–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
In 2024, infant mortality rate by sex in Ireland stood at 0.3178 deaths per 100 live births.
The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate by sex in Ireland peaked at 3.96 deaths per 100 live births in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.2773 deaths per 100 live births, in 2018.
That places Ireland 166th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Infant mortality rate by sex in Ireland, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.96 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1951 | 3.81 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1952 | 3.65 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1953 | 3.48 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1954 | 3.31 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1955 | 3.17 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1956 | 3.05 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1957 | 2.95 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1958 | 2.86 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1959 | 2.75 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1960 | 2.64 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 1961 | 2.55 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1962 | 2.46 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1963 | 2.37 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1964 | 2.29 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1965 | 2.18 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1966 | 2.07 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 1967 | 1.95 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1968 | 1.84 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1969 | 1.76 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1970 | 1.69 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1971 | 1.65 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 1972 | 1.62 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 1.59 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1974 | 1.54 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 1975 | 1.49 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 1.43 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1977 | 1.35 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1978 | 1.26 deaths per 100 live births | -6.8% |
| 1979 | 1.16 deaths per 100 live births | -8.1% |
| 1980 | 1.06 deaths per 100 live births | -8.2% |
| 1981 | 0.9823 deaths per 100 live births | -7.7% |
| 1982 | 0.9198 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1983 | 0.8683 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1984 | 0.8266 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1985 | 0.7933 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 1986 | 0.7679 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1987 | 0.7517 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 0.7333 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 0.7082 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1990 | 0.6761 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1991 | 0.6401 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 1992 | 0.5998 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 1993 | 0.5704 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1994 | 0.5513 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 0.5452 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 0.5459 deaths per 100 live births | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 0.5496 deaths per 100 live births | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 0.5514 deaths per 100 live births | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 0.5503 deaths per 100 live births | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 0.541 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 0.5225 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2002 | 0.4934 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 0.4623 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 2004 | 0.4289 deaths per 100 live births | -7.2% |
| 2005 | 0.399 deaths per 100 live births | -7.0% |
| 2006 | 0.3738 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 2007 | 0.3562 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 0.3433 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 2009 | 0.3333 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 0.3252 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 0.3183 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 0.3124 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 0.3059 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 0.2991 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 0.2922 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 0.2857 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 0.2804 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 0.2773 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 0.279 deaths per 100 live births | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 0.2845 deaths per 100 live births | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 0.2929 deaths per 100 live births | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 0.3031 deaths per 100 live births | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 0.3122 deaths per 100 live births | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 0.3178 deaths per 100 live births | +1.8% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 0.3178 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.3234 deaths per 100 live births, 98% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 0.3178 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.3135 deaths per 100 live births, 1.0× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.3 deaths per 100 live births | 2.75 deaths per 100 live births | 3.96 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.21 deaths per 100 live births | 1.76 deaths per 100 live births | 2.64 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.48 deaths per 100 live births | 1.16 deaths per 100 live births | 1.69 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.8415 deaths per 100 live births | 0.7082 deaths per 100 live births | 1.06 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.578 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5452 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6761 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4254 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3333 deaths per 100 live births | 0.541 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2975 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2773 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3252 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3021 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2845 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3178 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 163 United Arab Emirates 0.3405 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 164 Denmark 0.3234 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 165 Poland 0.3228 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 167 Switzerland 0.3143 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 168 France 0.3135 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 169 Netherlands 0.3076 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for Ireland
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -4.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.89 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 20 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7228 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.026 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.6489 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate by sex in Ireland?
- Infant mortality rate by sex in Ireland was 0.3178 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 3.96 deaths per 100 live births in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2773 deaths per 100 live births in 2018.
- How does Ireland rank for infant mortality rate by sex?
- Ireland ranks 166th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate by sex rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality rate by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of female children aged under one year, per 100 live births .