In 2022, 5.60 out of every 1,000 infants in the US passed away before their first birthday, marginally more than 2021’s 5.44 out of 1,000.[1] This is known as the US infant mortality rate, and it’s one of the markers officials use to measure American society's health.
The rate has improved in recent decades thanks to several advancements — dropping 85% between 1940 and 2005, thanks to advances in medicine, prenatal care, and improved sanitation —but disparities in infant mortality rates across demographic groups persist.
