This study analyzes the change in the timing and extent of under-five deaths considering the early neonatal, late neonatal, post neonatal, infancy, and childhood periods. The data source of the study is composed of birth history modules of demographic surveys that were conducted in 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 2003, and 2008. The results of the study revealed that during the period 1978-2008, in addition to a decline in the mortality rates, the timing of deaths has changed significantly as well. During this period, under-five mortality rate declined from 168 per thousand to 23 per thousand, and the infant mortality rate declined from 134 per thousand to 17 per thousand. The most fundamental change in this period was a shift of deaths from the post-neonatal period to the neonatal period, especially to the early neonatal period. As a result of the decline in the mortality rates, the number of deaths decreased significantly. During this period, 256,000 under-five deaths decreased to 31,000 deaths annually. At present, it is seen that 22,000 of 31,000 underfive deaths take place during the infancy period, of which 17,000 occur during the neonatal period and 15,000 during the early neonatal period.

Keywords: bebek ölümleri, çocuk ölümleri, beş yaş altı ölümleri, Türkiye