Malta’s rate of infant death stands at 6.3 per 1,000 live births, higher than the EU average of 5.76 and much higher than the eurozone average of 3.55, a report reveals.

The Health Systems in Transitions report speaks of a need for an in-depth analysis to explore the reasons why this is happening.

Although the ban on abortion in Malta might be contributing to this result, caution must be exercised because “this fact alone may not fully explain such high mortality rates,” the report says.

This ban means that babies with lethal congenital disorders are carried to term.

Only Bulgaria and Romania had higher rates in the EU.

Malta’s rate in 2011 was marginally higher than it was in 2000 and 2005 (both at 6.0) and 2010 (5.5), but considerably lower from 1980, when the rate stood at 15.5 deaths per 1,000 live births.