Infanticide is the intentional killing of infants or offspring. Infanticide was a widespread practice throughout human history that was mainly used to dispose of unwanted children, its main purpose being the prevention of resources being spent on weak or disabled offspring. Unwanted infants were usually abandoned to die of exposure, but in some societies they were deliberately killed. Infanticide is broadly illegal, but in some places the practice is tolerated, or the prohibition is not strictly enforced.

नवजात शिशु की हत्या करना, या १२ माह से कम उम्र के शिशु की हत्या करना, या अवैध रूप से और जानबूझकर उनके जीवन को नष्ट करना भी शिशु वध कहलाता है।