Which conditions account for nearly half of all deaths in infants younger than 1 year?

• A. Congenital anomalies, Sudden infant death syndrome, and Disorders relating to short gestation
• B. Prematurity and low birth weight
• C. Infectious diseases only
• D. Accidents and injuries only

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that about half of infant deaths in the first year come from three broad problems: birth defects present at birth, complications related to being born too early or with very low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome. Birth defects (congenital anomalies) can be severe enough to limit survival from birth. Babies born prematurely or with very low birth weight often face immature organs—especially the lungs—leading to serious problems like respiratory distress and infections. Sudden infant death syndrome is the unexpected, unexplained death of an infant under one year, often during sleep, and remains a leading cause of infant mortality even though its exact cause isn’t known.

Choosing these three together reflects the major contributors to infant deaths; omitting any one of them misses a key portion of the risk, and focusing on only prematurity, infections, or injuries doesn’t capture all the top causes that together account for roughly half of deaths.