The Latest Breaking News from Infant Mortality

Descendants of Very Long-Lived Families Had Half the Infant Death Rate, and the Edge Faded Fast

Danish registries tracked four generations of long-lived families. The survival advantage showed up within 30 days of birth, then thinned out.

Medical Daily · Aug 26

CDC Releases 2024 U.S. Infant Mortality Report Revealing SIDS Decline While Doctors Warn Persistent Risks Still Threaten Infants Nationwide

CDC NCHS released U.S. infant mortality data June 16: 5.52 per 1,000 births in 2024, unchanged from 2023. SIDS fell 8%. Preterm and postneonatal deaths also declined.

Medical Daily · Jun 17

US infant mortality reaches historic low, preliminary data shows

According to the CDC, there were just under 5.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births last year

The Independent UK · Jun 16

PFAS in pregnant women’s drinking water puts their babies at higher risk, study finds

When pregnant women drink water that comes from wells downstream of sites contaminated with PFAS, known as “forever chemicals,” the risks to their babies’ health substantially increase, a new study found. These risks include the chance of low birth weight, preterm birth and infant mortality.

The Conversation · Dec 8, 2025

Progress Is Good, Actually

Against Paul Kingsnorth's intuitive sense of decline.

Reason · Oct 30, 2025

Mississippi declares infant deaths emergency as CDC program that could have helped is halted

State forced to stop gathering critical data on pregnancy experiences after Trump administration’s shakeup

The Guardian - US · Sep 16, 2025

The Indian state that now has a lower infant mortality rate than US

Southern Indian state achieves single-digit infant mortality with no urban–rural divide

The Independent UK · Sep 9, 2025

Infant mortality rises in states with restrictive abortion laws – new research

Infant mortality has risen in states that enacted tighter abortion restrictions in the wake of the June 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision. This occurs for newborns – those less than a day old – as well as older infants – those 1 month to 1 year old.

The Conversation · Sep 5, 2025

What to know as Mississippi declares public health emergency over spike in infant deaths

There were 9.7 infant deaths for every 1,000 live births in 2024 in Mississippi.

The Independent UK · Aug 25, 2025

Giving mothers cash just before they give birth could halve infant mortality, study suggests

Households given a one-off payment of $1,000 dollars saw infant mortality drop by almost 50 per cent

The Independent UK · Aug 19, 2025