Missouri

The available data for the state of Missouri on the issues linked to motherhood paint a contradictory picture. In 2008, the state of Missouri saw its live births decrease slightly to 80, 944 in comparison to 81, 883 the previous year, bringing the rate to 13.7 (down by 0.2 compared to 2007). This represented a 1-percent reduction and the first decrease in births since 2002. Hispanic births also decreased in 2008 (by 3 percent) for the first time since 1991.

The infant death rate declined from 7.5 per 1,000 live births in 2007 to 7.2 in 2008, matching the low record set in 2000. Despite this slight improvement, the state ranked 33rd in children's health and well-being, according to the 2009 Kids Count report, which takes ...