According to the National Statistics Institute, the Azores registered in 2011 an infant mortality rate of 2.9 per thousand. The figures released are lower than the national average and the lowest recorded in the Region.

The Azores were the only region of the country where the infant mortality rate declined between 2010 and 2011, dropping from 5.5 per thousand to 2.9 per thousand. The overall infant mortality rate registered an increase of 2.5 to 3.1 per thousand.

Moreover, the five-year infant mortality rate maintains the downward trend that had already been recorded in previous years.

In addition to the activities developed by health units, the decrease in infant mortality rate is also the result of measures adopted by the Regional Health Service to improve the sector in recent years. The Regional Maternal Health and Family Planning Programmes have led to the creation of the Maternal and Child Referral Network and the transfer network of pregnant women and newborns.

These procedures improve "the coordination between Health Units and Hospitals" in addition to defining responsibilities of each area of health care and bringing health gains for pregnant women and newborns.

Under the same programme, regional health centres were equipped with cardiotocographs and general practitioners have received specific training. These measures improve accessibility and quality of maternal and child health.