The phenomenon of infant mortality in the Arab world : the disparity between countries and the influencing variables

Abstract EN

Infant mortality rates in the Arab World have decreased significantly but with big variations between countries.

This paper aims to shed light on children situation generally and infants particularly in this region and to identify the major social and economic variables affecting these rates.

According to the most recent data (2018), there is a large gap between the Arab countries, while these rates are decreasing in the countries that afford welfare and healthcare like Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), they are highly increasing in countries that suffer from conflicts and wars and poverty (Syria, Yemen, Somalia).

It also clarifies that the increase of maternal mortality, fertility rates and poverty rate play a key role in the increase of infant mortality.