Secular trend of infant mortality rate during wars and sanctions in Western Iraq.

Objective: To study the infant mortality rate (IMR) trend during wars and sanction periods in Western Iraq.

Methods: Data collected from the birth and death certificates of Haditha Health Vital Statistics Center, Haditha city (80,000 population), Western Iraq, included name, age, gender, residence, and infant's place and date of births and deaths, in 5 different sanction and war stages of the country from 1987 to 2010, in a study period from July to December, 2010. The IMRs were analyzed and compared between these stages and with other studies.