Infant Mortality in the United States, 2022: Data From the Period Linked Birth/Infant Death File

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr73/nvsr73-05.pdf?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--l_AzmZD-PdbG5HolTVuhKrShCVwM3r4hVWrbbx6v6PefbkertpgR08rBMdINJ78SHW-Q5pu-iKDJlr2q-3o6Oog9BJQ&_hsmi=317225391&utm_content=317225391&utm_source=hs_email U.S. infant mortality rose 3% in 2022, per CDC Infant deaths were up 3% in 2022 from 2021, according to new CDC data published today in its National Vital Statistics Report. The rate was 5.61 deaths per 1,000 live births overall, but varied widely by race. Black women lost babies at the highest rate, at 10.9 per 1,000. White women lost babies at a rate of 4.52 per 1,000. Infant mortality rates measure the number of babies that die before they reach their first birthday. The 3% increase is the first statistically significant increase in two decades, the authors of a provisional report on the numbers said late last year. The number has generally been decreasing over the years, so despite the increase, 2022’s rate is still below where it was back in 2002. The leading causes of death for infants were the same in 2022 as 2021: congenital malformations and disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight. But there was one cause of death that became more common. Infant deaths due to maternal complications from pregnancy jumped from 30.4 to 33.1 deaths per 1,000 live births.