While the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the U.S. in 2020, the nationwide rate of sudden unexplained infant deaths remained steady — except among Black babies, according to a study released Monday.
The sudden unexplained infant death (SUID) rates among white, Asian, American Indian and Hispanic babies all remained relatively steady or declined from 2019 to 2020, the study found. However, the rate increased substantially among Black babies.
“The significant increased rate of SUID among non-Hispanic Black infants from 2019 to 2020, but not among other single race and Hispanic infants, deserves further attention because it could be attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on social determinants of health,” the study’s authors wrote.
