Infant mortality in the United States is higher than 16 other nations, 【M1】______ with 11.5 babies out of 1,000 die before age 1. A report based on 【M2】______ international figures and released out last week by the Population Reference 【M3】______ Bureau (PRB) in Washington D. C. rank the United States in 17th place among 【M4】______ nations with the lowest infant mortality rates Finland, Japan and Sweden lead the ranking with rates of less than 7 per 1,000. Especially in countries with low infant mortality rate, the statistics 【M5】______ reflect the incident of genetic defects leading to death. In the US, say 【M6】______ some researchers, the statistics also provide a social indicator. Says Brian McCarthy of the Centres of Disease Control in Atlanta, 'Infant mortality rate is affected by social, medical and environmental policies.' The US statistics show that 19.6 black babies per 1,000 die before age 1, comparing with white babies at 10.1 per 1,000. 'The real cause is 【M7】______ probably poverty,' says PRB'S Carl Haub, 'That's represented in the rates for low birth weight babies among black.' 【M8】______ Infant mortality closely relates to low birth weight which, Haub 【M9】______ says, results in a variety of factors, including poor diet and inadequate 【M10】______ medical care. 【M1】