Mississippi Declares Public Health Emergency Over Soaring Infant Mortality Rates, Highlighting National Maternal and Infant Health Crisis

In response to escalating infant mortality rates, Mississippi’s health department has declared a public health emergency. The state registered 9.7 deaths per 1,000 births in 2024, the highest rate in over a decade, according to department data. Since 2014, approximately 3,500 infants in Mississippi have passed away before their first birthday.

“Every infant loss signifies a family grieving, a community affected, and a future curtailed. We refuse to accept these numbers as our status quo. Declaring this a public health emergency is more than a policy decision; it’s an urgent pledge to save lives,” stated Dr. Dan Edney, the State Health Officer, in the department’s announcement.

An emergency declaration offers opportunities for resource mobilization to address the issue. The state health department’s strategy involves implementing a standardized system for maternal and infant care, eradicating maternity care deserts, increasing access to resources for mothers and infants through community health worker programs and home visits, and education on safe sleep practices.

“Improving maternal health is the key to reducing infant mortality,” Edney explained. “This means better access to prenatal and postpartum care, stronger community support, and more resources for mothers and babies. Healthy women of childbearing age are more likely to have healthy pregnancies, leading to healthier babies.”

Approximately one-third of U.S. counties lack an obstetric clinician, as per a report by the infant and maternal health nonprofit March of Dimes released last year. In Mississippi, nearly half of all counties are considered maternity care deserts, according to the organization.

Cindy Rahman, President and CEO of March of Dimes, commented, “The Mississippi Department of Health’s declaration of a public health emergency due to infant mortality is a sobering reflection of the maternal and infant health crisis plaguing our nation. Although Mississippi accounts for less than 1% of U.S. births, it accounts for more than 1.6% of all infant deaths. These losses should serve as a wake-up call to the nation. March of Dimes supports Mississippi’s public health leadership in raising awareness about this critical issue and outlining key strategies to enhance birth outcomes in the state.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to release its own infant mortality data later this year, but the Mississippi health department stated that it “acknowledged the urgency of this crisis and could not delay action.”

The CDC’s most recent data shows that the national infant mortality rate increased for the first time in 20 years in 2022. Mississippi had the highest infant mortality of all 50 states that year, with a rate more than 60% higher than the national average.

The primary causes of infant mortality in Mississippi are congenital malformations, preterm birth, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), according to the state’s announcement, aligning with CDC data on the leading causes nationwide. Black babies in Mississippi are particularly at risk, with over 15 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024 – a 24% increase from already higher-than-average rates the previous year.

Recent research suggests potential connections between infant mortality and abortion restrictions. A CNN investigative report found that infant mortality increased in Texas following the implementation of a six-week abortion ban in 2021, and a study published in October indicates that the impacts of bans and restrictions enacted by some states since the U.S. Supreme Court Dobbs decision revoking the federal right to an abortion have been substantial enough to influence broader trends – hundreds more infants died than expected in the U.S. during the year and a half following that decision.

March of Dimes also emphasized the “critical” importance of protecting Medicaid to support the healthcare of newborns and their mothers. “Medicaid covers nearly 53% of births in Mississippi and 40% nationwide, making it a vital lifeline for moms and babies. Any cuts or restrictions will only exacerbate this crisis,” Rahman said. “The United States is among the most dangerous developed nations for childbirth. We cannot afford to regress.”