Infanticide

Abstract

Infanticide refers to the intentional killing of a child before his or her first birthday. Infanticide has occurred throughout history. Different countries approach infanticide differently; some countries consider infanticides as lesser offenses than murder for women who exhibit psychiatric disorders relating to childbirth. Parents tend to be the perpetrators in infanticides, and boys and girls are nearly equally likely to be the victims. Young, poor, single, underemployed women tend to be the perpetrators in infanticides of newborns less than one day old. In communities with restrictions on abortions, parental consent laws, parental involvement laws, and mandatory delay laws, the risk of child homicides increases.