TRAGIC: U.S. Infant Mortality Rate Sees Largest Increase in 20 Years

The CDC has released a new report that reveals the mortality rate for infants in the United States has increased for the first time in two decades.

In a concerning report the CDC revealed the infant mortality rate rose by 3% in 2022.

Data from the CDC revealed “there were 5.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022, which is 3% higher than the rate of 5.44 per 1,000 live births in 2021.”

White and Native American babies born before 37 weeks had the highest death rate among infants.

So, what field the increase of death among infants?

Dr. Eric Eichenwald stated “RSV and flu infections rebounded last fall after two years of pandemic precautions, filling pediatric emergency rooms across the country. “That could potentially account for some of it.”

US infant mortality rate rose to 3% in 2022, largest increase in 2 decades, CDC says https://t.co/xdhMDusqjg

— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) November 1, 2023

JUST IN – The US infant mortality rate rose last year. The CDC says it’s the largest increase in two decades, AP reports

— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) November 1, 2023

Here’s what the Associated Press reported:

The U.S. infant mortality rate rose 3% last year — the largest increase in two decades, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

White and Native American infants, infant boys and babies born at 37 weeks or earlier had significant death rate increases. The CDC’s report, published Wednesday, also noted larger increases for two of the leading causes of infant deaths — maternal complications and bacterial meningitis.

“It’s definitely concerning, given that it’s going in the opposite direction from what it has been,” said Marie Thoma, a University of Maryland researcher who studies maternal and infant mortality.

Dr. Eric Eichenwald, a Philadelphia-based neonatologist, called the new data “disturbing,” but said experts at this point can only speculate as to why a statistic that generally has been falling for decades rose in 2022.

RSV and flu infections rebounded last fall after two years of pandemic precautions, filling pediatric emergency rooms across the country. “That could potentially account for some of it,” said Eichenwald, who chairs an American Academy of Pediatrics committee that writes guidelines for medical care of newborns.

Infant mortality has jumped in four U.S. states https://t.co/RwZbx3VhbH

— Newsweek (@Newsweek) November 1, 2023

Per ABC News:

Infant mortality rates in the United States increased last year for the first time in two decades, according to new federal provisional data.

For the report, published early Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Vital Statistics, researchers looked at birth/infant death data collected through the National Vital Statistics System.

Provisional data showed there were 5.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022, which is 3% higher than the rate of 5.44 per 1,000 live births in 2021.

Although rates have been declining over the last several years, this marks the first year-to-year increase in more than two decades when the rate rose from 6.8 deaths per 1,000 in 2001 to 7.0 deaths in 2002.

The neonatal mortality rate — infant deaths at less than 28 days of life — also rose 3% from 3.49 per 1,000 live births in 2021 to 3.58 in 2022 and the postneonatal mortality rate — infant deaths between 28 and 364 days of life — grew 4% from 1.95 per 1,000 to 2.02 over the same period.