2001 ARKANSAS VITAL STATISTICS HIGHLIGHTS

 

Live Births


Arkansas had 36,982 resident births in 2001.

-- 5.9 % of all resident births occurred outside the state of Arkansas.

Birth Rate: 13.7 compared to a U.S. rate of 14.6 (births per 1,000 population).

There were a total of 6,052 births to teenagers. 

                  -- The number of births to teenagers dropped by 478 between 2000 to 2001.

                  -- 16.4% of all live resident births were to mothers aged 19 and under.

                  -- Of all these teen mothers, almost 71.5% (4,327) were unmarried.

Percent of Births to Unmarried Mothers: 36.2% (13,375 births), compared to a national percent of 33.5.

Percent Low Birthweight: 8.8 compared to a national rate of 7.9.

                        -- 3,249 babies were born weighing less than 2500 grams (5 ˝ pounds).
7.2 percent (2,652) of all Arkansas resident live births were born to mothers of Hispanic origin.

22.0 percent (8,131) of all births were to mothers with less than a high school degree or equivalent.

78.3 percent (28,962) of mothers received prenatal care in their first trimester, compared to 83.4% nationally.       

 

Deaths

 

Number of Resident Deaths:  27,703

-- 5.7% of all resident deaths occurred outside the state of Arkansas.

Crude Death Rate – 1028.1

 Crude Death Rates for the Ten Leading Causes of Death in Arkansas (per 100,000 population):

Heart Disease: 305.9
Cancer: 225.7
Stroke: 83.6

Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases: 50.7
Accidents: 47.1

Diabetes: 28.0
Pneumonia/Influenza: 27.2

Nephritis, Nephrotic syndrome, and Nephrosis: 19.3
Septicemia: 18.6
Alzheimer’s Disease: 16.7

Fetal Deaths

 

Arkansas had 291 Resident Fetal Deaths (> 20 weeks and/or > 350 grams).

The leading cause of fetal deaths resulted from “Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period”, comprising 93% of the total number (270deaths).

The fetal death rate for whites remained the same as in 2000 (6.1), but for blacks it increased from 10.7 to 14.8.

 

Infant Deaths

 

There were 307 infant mortalities to Arkansas residents in 2001.

The Arkansas infant mortality rate was 8.3, compared to a U.S. rate of 6.9.

Black Arkansans had an infant mortality rate of 14.4, compared to a white rate of 6.8.

Approximately 56% (171) of the 307 Arkansans who died before their first birthday were less

     than 28 days old (neonatal deaths).