Infant mortality falls: 3 things to know

Infant mortality rates declined nationwide in 2024 after several years of plateau, according to new data from the CDC.

The data comes from the CDC’s National Vital Statistics System. Estimates for 2024 are based on provisional death and birth data, with final figures expected later this year.

Three things to know:

1. The U.S. infant mortality rate was 5.49 deaths per 1,000 live births in the 12-month period ending in the fourth quarter of 2024.

2. This figure is down from 5.63 per 1,000 in the same period a year prior — a rate that had remained relatively stable since 2022, according to provisional data the CDC published May 8.

3. Some experts have attributed the decrease to the use of respiratory syncytial virus immunizations in pregnant women and infants, according to the Associated Press.

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/quality/patient-safety-outcomes/infant-mortality-falls-3-things-to-know/