In 2022, the state of Mississippi had the highest infant mortality rate in the United States, with around 9.11 deaths per 1,000 live births. Infant mortality is the death of an infant before the age of one. The countries with the lowest infant mortality rates worldwide are Slovenia, Singapore, and Iceland. The countries with the highest infant mortality rates include Afghanistan, Somalia, and the Central African Republic. Causes of infant mortality Rates and causes of infant mortality are different depending on the country and region. However, the leading causes of neonatal deaths include preterm birth complications, intrapartum-related events, and sepsis. The leading causes of death among children aged 1 to 59 months are pneumonia, diarrhea, and injury. In the United States The infant mortality rate in the United States has decreased over the past few decades, reaching a low of 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021. The most common causes of infant death in the United States are congenital malformations, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome. In 2022, congenital malformations accounted for around 108 infant deaths per 100,000 live births.

Infant mortality rates in the United States reveal significant disparities among racial and ethnic groups. In 2023, Black mothers faced the highest rate at nearly 11 deaths per 1,000 live births, more than double the rate for white mothers. This stark contrast persists despite overall improvements in healthcare and highlights the need for targeted interventions to address these inequalities. Birth rates and fertility trends While infant mortality rates vary, birth rates also differ across ethnicities. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women had the highest fertility rate in 2022, with about 2,237.5 births per 1,000 women, far exceeding the national average of 1,656.5. In 2023, this group maintained the highest birth rate at 79 births per 1,000 women. Asian women, by contrast, had a much lower birth rate of around 50 per thousand women. These differences in fertility rates can impact overall population growth and demographic shifts within the United States. Hispanic birth trends and fertility decline The Hispanic population in the United States has experienced significant changes in birth trends over recent decades. In 2021, 885,916 babies were born to Hispanic mothers, with a birth rate of 14.1 per 1,000 of the Hispanic population. This represents a slight increase from the previous year. However, the fertility rate among Hispanic women has declined dramatically since 1990, dropping from 108 children per 1,000 women aged 15-44 to 63.4 in 2021. This decline aligns with broader trends of decreasing fertility rates in more industrialized nations.

The Mortality - Infant Deaths (from Linked Birth / Infant Death Records) online databases on CDC WONDER provide counts and rates for deaths of children under 1 year of age, occuring within the United States to U.S. residents. Information from death certificates has been linked to corresponding birth certificates. Data are available by county of mother's residence, child's age, underlying cause of death, sex, birth weight, birth plurality, birth order, gestational age at birth, period of prenatal care, maternal race and ethnicity, maternal age, maternal education and marital status. Data are available since 1995. The data are produced by the National Center for Health Statistics.

In 2022, the infant mortality rate in the United States was 5.4 out of every 1,000 live births. This is a significant decrease from 1960, when infant mortality was at around 26 deaths out of every 1,000 live births. What is infant mortality? The infant mortality rate is the number of deaths of babies under the age of one per 1,000 live births. There are many causes for infant mortality, which include birth defects, low birth weight, pregnancy complications, and sudden infant death syndrome. In order to decrease the high rates of infant mortality, there needs to be an increase in education and medicine so babies and mothers can receive the proper treatment needed. Maternal mortality is also related to infant mortality. If mothers can attend more prenatal visits and have more access to healthcare facilities, maternal mortality can decrease, and babies have a better chance of surviving in their first year. Worldwide infant mortality rates Infant mortality rates vary worldwide; however, some areas are more affected than others. Afghanistan suffered from the highest infant mortality rate in 2024, and the following 19 countries all came from Africa, with the exception of Pakistan. On the other hand, Slovenia had the lowest infant mortality rate that year. High infant mortality rates can be attributed to lack of sanitation, technological advancements, and proper natal care. In the United States, Massachusetts had the lowest infant mortality rate, while Mississippi had the highest in 2022. Overall, the number of neonatal and post neonatal deaths in the United States has been steadily decreasing since 1995.

Data on infant, neonatal, postneonatal, fetal, and perinatal mortality rates by selected characteristics of the mother. Please refer to the PDF or Excel version of this table in the HUS 2019 Data Finder (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/contents2019.htm) for critical information about measures, definitions, and changes over time. SOURCE: NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, public-use Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set, public-use Fetal Death File, and public-use Birth File. For more information on the National Vital Statistics System, see the corresponding Appendix entry at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus19-appendix-508.pdf.

This topic is no longer available in the NCHS Data Query System (DQS). Search, visualize, and download other estimates from over 120 health topics with DQS, available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/dataquery/index.htm. Data on on average annual infant mortality rates in the United States and U.S. dependent areas, by race and Hispanic origin of mother, state, and territory. Data are from Health, United States. SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set.

For current version see: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/maternal_child_family_health_services/MCFHSstatistics.html

Infant Mortality - Cohort Dataset Note: The Infant Mortality Rate is infant deaths (under one year of age) per 1,000 live births, by geography. Numerator represents infant's race/ethnicity. Denominator represents mother's race/ethnicity.

***API: Asian/Pacific Islander. ***AIAN: American Indian/Alaska Native. Blank Cells: Rates not calculated for fewer than 5 events. Rates not calculated in cases where infant's zip code of residence is unknown.

Sources: State of California, Department of Public Health, Death Statistical Master Files (before 2014), California Comprehensive Death Files (2014 and later), and Birth Statistical Master Files. Prepared by: County of San Diego, Health & Human Services Agency, Public Health Services, Community Health Statistics Unit, 2019.

Interpretation: "There were 5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in Geography X".

Data Guide, Dictionary, and Codebook: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/CHS/Community%20Profiles/Public%20Health%20Services%20Codebook_Data%20Guide_Metadata_10.2.19.xlsx

BackgroundWhile the high prevalence of preterm births and its impact on infant mortality in the US have been widely acknowledged, recent data suggest that even full-term births in the US face substantially higher mortality risks compared to European countries with low infant mortality rates. In this paper, we use the most recent birth records in the US to more closely analyze the primary causes underlying mortality rates among full-term births.Methods and findingsLinked birth and death records for the period 2010–2012 were used to identify the state- and cause-specific burden of infant mortality among full-term infants (born at 37–42 weeks of gestation). Multivariable logistic models were used to assess the extent to which state-level differences in full-term infant mortality (FTIM) were attributable to observed differences in maternal and birth characteristics. Random effects models were used to assess the relative contribution of state-level variation to FTIM. Hypothetical mortality outcomes were computed under the assumption that all states could achieve the survival rates of the best-performing states. A total of 10,175,481 infants born full-term in the US between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2012, were analyzed. FTIM rate (FTIMR) was 2.2 per 1,000 live births overall, and ranged between 1.29 (Connecticut, 95% CI 1.08, 1.53) and 3.77 (Mississippi, 95% CI 3.39, 4.19) at the state level. Zero states reached the rates reported in the 6 low-mortality European countries analyzed (FTIMR < 1.25), and 13 states had FTIMR > 2.75. Sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) accounted for 43% of FTIM; congenital malformations and perinatal conditions accounted for 31% and 11.3% of FTIM, respectively. The largest mortality differentials between states with good and states with poor FTIMR were found for SUDI, with particularly large risk differentials for deaths due to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (odds ratio [OR] 2.52, 95% CI 1.86, 3.42) and suffocation (OR 4.40, 95% CI 3.71, 5.21). Even though these mortality differences were partially explained by state-level differences in maternal education, race, and maternal health, substantial state-level variation in infant mortality remained in fully adjusted models (SIDS OR 1.45, suffocation OR 2.92). The extent to which these state differentials are due to differential antenatal care standards as well as differential access to health services could not be determined due to data limitations. Overall, our estimates suggest that infant mortality could be reduced by 4,003 deaths (95% CI 2,284, 5,587) annually if all states were to achieve the mortality levels of the best-performing state in each cause-of-death category. Key limitations of the analysis are that information on termination rates at the state level was not available, and that causes of deaths may have been coded differentially across states.ConclusionsMore than 7,000 full-term infants die in the US each year. The results presented in this paper suggest that a substantial share of these deaths may be preventable. Potential improvements seem particularly large for SUDI, where very low rates have been achieved in a few states while average mortality rates remain high in most other areas. Given the high mortality burden due to SIDS and suffocation, policy efforts to promote compliance with recommended sleeping arrangements could be an effective first step in this direction.

In both 2021 and 2022, the children of Black mothers in the United States had the highest infant mortality rate, at almost 11 deaths per 1,000 live births. This statistic shows the infant mortality rate in the United States in 2021 and 2022 by the race and ethnicity of the mother.

This dataset tracks the updates made on the dataset "DQS Infant mortality rates, by race and Hispanic origin of mother, state, and territory: United States and U.S. dependent areas" as a repository for previous versions of the data and metadata.

The infant mortality rate in the United States, for children under the age of one (twelve months), was 60 deaths per thousand births in 1935. Approximately six percent of children born in 1935 did not survive past their first birthday. Over the course of the next 85 years, this number has dropped significantly, and the rate has reached its lowest point ever in the period between 2015 and 2020, at six deaths per thousand births. Figures have been below ten since the 1990s.

Data on infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality rates in the United States, by detailed race and Hispanic origin of mother. Data are from Health, United States. Source: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set. Search, visualize, and download these and other estimates from over 120 health topics with the NCHS Data Query System (DQS), available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/dataquery/index.htm.

In 2022, there were around eight fetal deaths per 1,000 births among women in Georgia, while there were around five fetal deaths per 1,000 births among women in California. This statistic illustrates the fetal mortality rates in the United States in 2022, by state and territory.

Infant Mortality Rate by Maternal Race/Ethnicity for New York City, 2007-2016

Data on infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality rates in the United States, by detailed race and Hispanic origin of mother. Data are from Health, United States. Source: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set. Search, visualize, and download these and other estimates from over 120 health topics with the NCHS Data Query System (DQS), available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/dataquery/index.htm.

• 1950 - 2007: Resident data from tabulations in Illinois Department of Public Health. (1953 - 1954 Maternal deaths from Vital Statistics of the United States) ** 1940 - 1949: Resident data from Vital Statistics of the United States for each year. *** 1918 - 1939: Occurrence data from United States Bureau of the Census publications. NA (not available)

UNICEF's country profile for Bolivia (Plurinational State of), including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

This dataset provides annual statistics on live births and mortality in the State of Qatar. It includes the number of live births, deaths, and various health indicators such as neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality rates, as well as the maternal mortality ratio. The data is structured by year and is useful for analyzing public health trends, informing healthcare policy, and monitoring progress on national and international health goals.

The Detailed Mortality - Underlying Cause of Death data on CDC WONDER are county-level national mortality and population data spanning the years 1999-2009. Data are based on death certificates for U.S. residents. Each death certificate contains a single underlying cause of death, and demographic data. The number of deaths, crude death rates, age-adjusted death rates, standard errors and 95% confidence intervals for death rates can be obtained by place of residence (total U.S., region, state, and county), age group (including infants and single-year-of-age cohorts), race (4 groups), Hispanic ethnicity, sex, year of death, and cause-of-death (4-digit ICD-10 code or group of codes, injury intent and mechanism categories, or drug and alcohol related causes), year, month and week day of death, place of death and whether an autopsy was performed. The data are produced by the National Center for Health Statistics.

UNICEF's country profile for Nigeria, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.