Why Infant Mortality Is Rising Again in the U.S.

0shares
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

In recent decades, American families have come to expect steady progress in infant health. Advances in prenatal care, technology in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and better public health messaging have all contributed to a gradual decline in infant mortality—until now. According to new findings published in JAMA Pediatrics, the U.S. infant mortality rate is on the rise again after decades of improvement, and it’s prompting a closer look at what’s behind this shift and how we can respond.

This isn’t about blame or panic—it’s about understanding the full picture and advocating for the system to do better for our babies and families.

The latest CDC report reveals that in 2022, 20,577 infants died in the United States—an increase of 3.3% from the year before. That translates to 5.61 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, up from 5.44 in 2021. While that may sound like a small jump, it’s the second year in a row that the rate has gone up—after years of steady decline.

Put simply: fewer babies are surviving their first year of life.

The causes haven’t dramatically changed. The leading reasons for infant death in 2022 are familiar: birth defects, prematurity and low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), accidents, and pregnancy-related complications. What’s new is the direction of the trend.

The Uneven Impact Across Communities

The story isn’t the same for every family or community. The CDC data shows significant racial and ethnic disparities in infant mortality. Babies born to Black non-Hispanic mothers had the highest mortality rate in 2022—10.9 deaths per 1,000 live births—nearly double the national average. American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian families also saw higher rates.

These disparities continue to reflect broader issues of inequality in access to care, economic opportunity, and support during pregnancy and the early months of a child’s life. Understanding these gaps is important if we want to create a more equitable future.

Why Are Infant Deaths Rising Now?

There’s no single reason the U.S. infant mortality rate is ticking upward. Instead, researchers suggest a mix of contributing factors:

1. Socioeconomic Stress and Health Access

Many of the infants lost in the first year of life are born into families facing poverty, housing instability, or limited access to medical care. These stressors can affect both mothers’ health during pregnancy and infants’ health afterward. The data also show that states with higher infant mortality rates tend to be those that have not expanded Medicaid—suggesting that access to affordable healthcare is a key piece of the puzzle.

2. Postneonatal Deaths Are Driving the Trend

Interestingly, the rise isn’t being driven by newborns (those in their first month of life). Instead, most of the increase is happening in what’s known as the “postneonatal” period—between 1 and 12 months. This points to issues in postnatal support, safe sleep practices, nutrition, and home safety rather than problems at birth.

3. Policy Shifts and Healthcare Gaps

The reversal of Roe v. Wade and the resulting abortion bans in several states could also be playing a role. When pregnancies with severe or fatal congenital conditions can’t be legally ended, more infants may be born with health challenges that aren’t survivable. Additionally, some doctors report growing uncertainty around what pregnancy care they can legally offer in restrictive states, which could impact maternal and infant health.

That doesn’t mean every policy change is directly responsible for this trend, but researchers say it’s important to study how laws and access to care may be influencing outcomes—especially when lives are at stake.

A Global Comparison Worth Noting

When you zoom out to a global view, the U.S. is no longer a leader in infant health. In fact, it now ranks 54th in the world for infant mortality—behind countries like Poland, Slovakia, and the United Arab Emirates. The rate is more than twice as high as that in Scandinavian countries, Spain, and Japan.

This doesn’t mean the U.S. healthcare system is failing across the board, but it does suggest that other nations are doing a better job of supporting families through pregnancy and the critical first year of life.

It’s Not Just About Medicine—It’s About Support

One of the most important takeaways from the data is that medical care alone isn’t enough to keep babies healthy. Families also need consistent support systems—paid parental leave, accessible childcare, nutritional programs, housing stability, and mental health care for new parents.

And when that support is missing or uneven, the effects show up in the most vulnerable members of society: our infants.

What We Can Learn from States That Are Doing Better

The variation between states tells us a lot. Massachusetts, for example, had one of the lowest infant mortality rates in 2022 at just 3.32 per 1,000 live births. In contrast, Mississippi reported the highest at 9.11. One of the key differences? Medicaid expansion.

In states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, infant mortality rates have tended to fall faster and stay lower than in states that didn’t. That doesn’t mean Medicaid is a silver bullet, but it highlights how access to prenatal and postpartum care can influence outcomes.

Small Steps, Big Impact

Preventing infant deaths can seem overwhelming, but many of the solutions are well-known and achievable:

Promote safe sleep practices like placing babies on their backs and avoiding soft bedding or toys in cribs.
Support prenatal care for all mothers, especially those in underserved areas.
Expand postpartum support so families aren’t left to navigate the newborn stage alone.
Address food insecurity to make sure babies and breastfeeding parents get proper nutrition.
Invest in community programs that offer education, home visits, and parenting support.

The rising infant mortality rate in the U.S. is a call to action—not a reason to panic. It’s a reminder that progress is not guaranteed and that the wellbeing of infants is closely tied to how we care for families overall.

Every baby deserves a strong start—and every family deserves the resources to give it to them.

SOURCE

More Pregnancy News: