INTRODUCTION: Over the last decades, infant mortality has remained at a relatively constant level, with a general downward trend. The identification of the most prevalent causes of death in this population will allow further targeted advancements in healthcare. AIM: The aim of this study was to analyze the causes of infant deaths between 1998 and 2024 in the Poznan Metropolitan area. METHODS: The analysis was performed based on autopsy reports conducted between 1998 and 2024 by the Department of Forensic Medicine of Poznan University of Medical Sciences. The criterion for including the case in the study was death during the first year of life. A total of 155 protocols met the criteria and were included in the study. RESULTS: No downward trend over the years was observed. The first month of life was found to have the highest mortality rate (38.7%). Pneumonia was the leading cause of death (40.6%), and occurred significantly more often in infants than in newborns (53.7% versus 20%; p-value = 0.000046). The hospital was the most commonly reported place of death in the neonatal group, whereas in infants the body was predominantly disclosed at the place of residence. CONCLUSIONS: Disease-related deaths were the most prevalent throughout the analyzed population. Moreover, intrapartum-related deaths were more common in the neonatal group and violent deaths occurred more frequently among infants.
Tomczyk et al. (Wed,) studied this question.