U.S. Infant Mortality Reaches Record Low in 2025

The rate of infant mortality in the United States reached a new record low in 2025, as per preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data reveals slightly fewer than 5.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025. This shows a modest decline from around 5.5 in 2024 and 5.6 in the preceding two years. Experts consider this statistically relevant, equating to hundreds fewer infant deaths annually.

Infant mortality measures the number of babies who die before their first birthday. To make comparisons over time, researchers use rates to account for annual variations in birth numbers. The CDC’s provisional data indicates that U.S. infant deaths dropped to approximately 19,350 last year, slightly lower than the anticipated figures for 2024 and 2023, which were around 20,050 and 20,160, respectively.

Over the decades, the U.S. infant mortality rate has gradually declined, attributed to advancements in medicine and public health initiatives. Three decades ago, the rate was 7.5 per 1,000. Despite these improvements, the U.S. still lags behind other high-income countries. Factors such as poverty and inadequate prenatal care contribute to this discrepancy. A 2022 study showed that the U.S. infant mortality rate was nearly twice that of democratic high-income nations like Italy, Japan, Spain, and Sweden.

In 2022, a significant increase in the U.S. rate occurred for the first time in two decades, linked to a resurgence of RSV and flu infections. By 2023, health officials introduced two preventative measures: a lab-made antibody shot for infants and an RSV vaccine for pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks. These efforts likely played a role in the improvements seen in 2024.

The decrease in sudden infant death syndrome cases could relate to increased education on safe sleeping practices for infants, according to Dr. Michael Warren from the March of Dimes. The CDC released the 2025 provisional data in May, with more detailed 2024 data revealed recently. Highlights include:

• Death rates fell for both infants under 28 days old and older infants, continuing into 2025.
• In 2024, infant mortality rates varied significantly by race. Rates for infants born to Black women were more than twice as high as those for Hispanic, white, and Asian American women.
• There was a noted decline in mortality for infants born at full term, but not for other gestational age groups.
• Mississippi reported the highest infant mortality rate at 9.65 deaths per 1,000 births, while New Hampshire recorded the lowest, just under 3 per 1,000.

Dr. Warren commented that these differences reflect various factors, including access to care, community influences, and health improvement policies.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department acknowledges support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP maintains full editorial independence for its content.