In the next decade every third neonate born in the U.S. will be of Hispanic origin. In order to identify subgroups of Hispanic at risk for early life mortality 1989-1992 Il. birth death linked files and fetal death records were analyzed and Chi square was used with two sided probability value of less than 0.05 to evaluate statistical significance between total Hispanic and each subgroup. Race/ethnicity was determined by maternal listing of her ethnicity on birth certificate. Neonates weighing <500 grams and <20 weeks gestation were excluded and mortality indices were calculated for 1000 births. Conclusion: Fetal mortality was lower for Mexican; neonatal and postneonatal mortality higher for Puerto Rican; infant mortality was higher for Puerto Rican and Cuban; Perinatal mortality was lower for Mexican and infant mortality was lower for Central/South American. There were significant variations in early life mortality rates among the subgroups of Hispanics.Table

Table 1
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