Historically, the grim reality for newborns before the advent of widespread vaccination was stark, with approximately one in five infants not surviving to their first birthday. This sobering statistic, highlighted in a recent tweet by Neil Stone, underscores the profound impact of immunization on global public health and child survival rates. The tweet stated, "If your baby had been born in the days before we had vaccines, they would have had a 1 in 5 chance of not making it to their 1st birthday."
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, infant mortality rates were alarmingly high across many regions, often exceeding 200 deaths per 1,000 live births in some areas, particularly in industrial towns. For instance, data from Bavaria and other historical samples indicate average infant mortality rates around 26.8% before modern medical interventions. Even in the United States, the infant mortality rate stood at 100 per 1,000 live births in 1915.
The primary culprits behind these devastating figures were infectious diseases such as diphtheria, smallpox, measles, and various diarrheal illnesses. Poor sanitation, contaminated milk supplies, and a lack of understanding of germ theory further exacerbated the spread of these deadly pathogens among vulnerable infants. Without effective preventive measures, these diseases often proved fatal for young children whose immune systems were still developing.
The introduction and widespread adoption of vaccines marked a turning point in this public health crisis. Vaccines against diseases like smallpox, diphtheria, measles, polio, and tetanus dramatically reduced the incidence and severity of these infections. This, combined with improvements in sanitation, nutrition, and overall healthcare, led to a precipitous decline in infant mortality rates throughout the 20th century.
Today, global infant mortality rates have fallen dramatically, with significant progress attributed to immunization programs. While challenges remain in some low-income regions, the historical data unequivocally demonstrates that vaccines have been instrumental in saving millions of lives and ensuring that more children survive their crucial first year.