NEW YORK (AP) — 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.
Because the number of babies born in the U.S. varies from year to year, researchers instead calculate rates to better compare infant mortality over time.
The U.S. infant mortality rate has been worse than other high-income countries, which experts have attributed to poverty, inadequate prenatal care and other possibilities.
The national rate rose to 5.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022, up from from 5.44 per 1,000 the year before, the new report said.
Persons:
“ It’s, ”, Marie Thoma, Eric Eichenwald, Eichenwald, Danielle Ely, —, ” Ely
Organizations:
Centers for Disease Control, University of Maryland, American Academy of Pediatrics, CDC, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP
Locations:
Philadelphia, U.S, Georgia, Iowa , Missouri, Texas