For the first time since 2015, the U.S. has experienced a rise in the infant mortality rate, with notable racial and regional disparities according to a new CDC report. Despite a general downward trend since 1995, the 2022 rate is 19% lower than the last increase in 2002.
The leading causes of infant death in 2022 remained consistent with 2021: congenital malformations (19.5% of deaths), disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight (14.0%), sudden infant death syndrome (7.4%), unintentional injuries (6.6%), and maternal complications (5.9%). These five leading causes accounted for 53.4% of all infant deaths in 2022.
State-level data showed variation, with Massachusetts having the lowest infant mortality rate at 3.32 deaths per 1,000 live births, and Mississippi the highest at 9.11. Twelve states, including California, Colorado, and New Jersey, had rates significantly lower than the national average, while 19 states, including Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio, had rates significantly higher.
The National Center for Health Statistics recently released the 2022 infant mortality statistics in the U.S., detailing mortality rates by age at death, maternal race and Hispanic origin, maternal age, gestational age, leading causes of death, and maternal state of residence. Data are derived from the 2022 period linked birth/infant death file, encompassing all birth and death certificates registered in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2022, 98.6% of all infant death records were successfully linked to their corresponding birth records.
In 2022, the U.S. recorded 20,577 infant deaths, representing a 3% increase from 2021. The infant mortality rate rose to 5.61 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to 5.44 in 2021. The neonatal mortality rate increased by 3%, from 3.49 to 3.59, and the postneonatal mortality rate rose by 4%, from 1.95 to 2.02.
The mortality rate varied by racial and ethnic groups. Infants of Black non-Hispanic women had the highest mortality rate at 10.90 deaths per 1,000 live births. This was followed by infants of American Indian and Alaska Native non-Hispanic women (9.06), Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander non-Hispanic women (8.50), Hispanic women (4.89), White non-Hispanic women (4.52), and Asian non-Hispanic women (3.51). The increases from 2021 to 2022 were statistically significant for infants of American Indian and Alaska Native non-Hispanic, White non-Hispanic, and Dominican women.
Among preterm infants (less than 37 weeks of gestation), the mortality rate increased from 33.59 to 34.78 deaths per 1,000 live births. Term infants (37 to 41 weeks of gestation) also experienced an increased mortality rate, from 2.08 to 2.18.
Full disclosures can be found in the published study.
Ely DM, Driscoll AK. Infant Mortality in the United States, 2022: Data From the Period Linked Birth/Infant Death File. National Vital Statistics Reports. 2024;73(5). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/index.htm