The U.S. infant mortality rate remained statistically unchanged in 2024, but new federal data released June 16, 2026, by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) confirms meaningful progress on several specific causes of infant death — most notably an 8% drop in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
The formal report, "Infant Mortality in the United States, 2024: Data From the Period Linked Birth/Infant Death File," was listed on the NCHS pressroom calendar and published on schedule on June 16, 2026. The overall provisional infant mortality rate in 2024 was 5.52 deaths per 1,000 live births, not significantly different from the final 2023 rate of 5.61.
