China's infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births is

• A. 4.2/1000
• B. 10.5/1000
• C. 8.1/1000
• D. 6.49/1000

Answer: (D)

Infant mortality rate tells us how many babies die before their first birthday for every 1,000 live births. It’s a broad indicator of how healthy a population is, reflecting maternal health, access to quality healthcare, nutrition, and newborn care. For China, recent estimates place the rate in the mid-single digits, around 6 to 7 per 1,000. The value 6.49 per 1,000 is the closest to current data, aligning with the trend of improving outcomes as healthcare and living standards rise. The other numbers are farther from China’s typical range: a rate around 4.2 would be unusually low for many settings, while 8.1 or 10.5 would indicate higher mortality than what's generally reported.