Overview:
Mississippi has the sad distinction of leading a disturbing national trend-- an increased number of infant deaths.
Mississippi health officials have declared a public-health emergency because of data showing infant death rates have skyrocketed to levels the state hasn’t seen in more than a decade — and Black babies in the state are dying at nearly three times the nationwide average.
The alarm was sounded after the state recorded 9.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024, nearly double the most recent national average of 5.6 deaths per 1,000, according to the state’s Department of Health. Since 2014, more than 3,500 Mississippi infants have died before their first birthday.
The estimated rate for Black infants — 15.2 deaths per 1,000 live births — is double the statewide average, but almost three times higher than the national average. In fact, Black infants in Mississippi died more often in 2023 and 2024 than any other demographic within the state or nationally.
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“Too many Mississippi families are losing their babies before their first birthday,” Dr. Dan Edney, the state’s top health officer, said in a statement. “This is deeply personal to me — not just as a physician, but as a father and grandfather.”
Every infant loss “represents a family devastated, a community impacted, and a future cut short,” he said. “We cannot and will not accept these numbers as our reality.”
The grim numbers in Mississippi are part of a larger overall trend: a disturbing increase in the number of infant deaths nationwide. Data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that in 2022, more than 20,000 babies in the U.S. died before the age of 1 — a 3% increase, and the first rise in infant mortality in 20 years.
The leading causes of infant deaths in Mississippi and nationwide include birth defects, preterm birth, low birth weight, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. But experts have also linked those defects to a lack of access to quality maternal healthcare.
The statewide number for 2024 is an increase from the 8.9 deaths per 1,000 live births seen in 2023 — the highest in the nation that year. The increase in Black infant deaths in Mississippi is almost a 24% increase from that year, while the rate among babies born to white moms declined.
These numbers include infant deaths that happen within the first year of life. Since 2014, the state says 3,527 babies have died before their first birthday.
Cindy Rahman, president and CEO of the nonprofit March of Dimes, said in a statement that the spike in infant deaths in Mississippi “is occurring most often in the earliest days of life, with deaths among newborns under 28 days old driving much of the increase.”
“Prematurity, birth defects, and maternal complications of pregnancy are key contributors to these losses,” she said. “March of Dimes’ Report Card shows Mississippi has some of the worst maternal and infant outcomes in the nation.”
The state’s health department plans to solve the problem by working to eliminate maternity care deserts — areas where prenatal care is scarce or nonexistent. Officials say the problem affects more than half of the state’s counties.
The agency also plans to increase access to early prenatal care and standardize the treatment its healthcare centers provide. It will also expand “Strengthening Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies,” a program that provides care management and home visits for expecting mothers, new moms, and at-risk infants.
Mississippi isn’t the only state with alarming infant mortality rates.
Early data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show 24 states reporting higher infant mortality rates year-over-year. Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana, among others, already had some of the worst infant mortality rates nationwide.
“Protecting Medicaid is equally critical,” Raham said. “Medicaid covers nearly 53% of births in Mississippi and 40% nationwide, making it a critical lifeline for moms and babies. Any cuts or restrictions will only make this crisis worse.”
“Telehealth, home visiting, and other community-based supports are essential tools, but they cannot succeed without the foundation of health insurance through Medicaid and other programs that support families,” she said.
“Mississippi has the knowledge, the resources, and the resilience to change this story,” Edney said. “It will take all of us — policymakers, healthcare providers, communities, and families — working together to give every child the chance to live, thrive, and celebrate their first birthday.”