Infant mortality increased in 2007 after dropping for 10 years, the National Statistics and Census Institute (INEC) said yesterday.

More than 10 babies out of 1,000 died before their first birthday last year, a 3.5% increase from 2006. The most common causes were respiratory and cardiovascular problems.

Infant mortality increased 6.6 % among boys and decreased 2% among girls.

Cartago, a landlocked province east of San José, had the highest infant mortality rate last year, with 12.3 deaths out of every 1,000 births. Heredia province, north of San José, had the lowest, with 7.4 deaths for every 1,000 births.