What are the most common causes of newborn injuries or emergencies?

The five leading causes of newborn deaths in the United States are:

  1. Premature birth or low birth weight
  2. Birth defects
  3. Complications experienced by the mother during pregnancy
  4. Newborn respiratory distress syndrome
  5. Complications of the umbilical cord or placenta

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculated the newborn mortality rates experienced by mothers of each race. For every 1,000 live births in America, 4.7 newborns die. That rate differs depending on the race or ethnicity of the mother as follows: Black – 9.3; White – 3.9; Hispanic – 3.8.