Infant Mortality Awareness Month: Every Child Should Live to See Their First Birthday

JACKSON, Miss.?— The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) joins other agencies across the country every September in recognizing Infant Mortality Awareness Month with the mission of reducing the number of babies who die within their first year of life.

Infant mortality is an alarming issue that has plagued Mississippi for years. Unfortunately, the state continues to lead the nation in claiming far too many precious lives, according to the most recent Mississippi Infant Mortality Report. Our infant mortality rate (IMR) for 2024 (the most recent year available) was up to 9.7 per 1,000 births, a significant increase from 8.9 per 1,000 births in 2023, and the highest IMR in the last decade.

"Too many families are losing their babies before their first birthday," said Dr. Dan Edney, State Health Officer and MSDH Executive Director. "We will not accept these numbers as our reality. Mississippi has the knowledge, the resources and the resilience to change this story."

A significant percentage of infant deaths in the state are related to low birthweight, preterm deliveries and maternal health issues including hypertension, diabetes and obesity. In addition, though there has been a slight reduction in unsafe sleep conditions leading to Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), that rate is still twice the national average, with accidental suffocation and strangulation the leading causes. Black babies are three times more likely to die than White babies soon after birth due to extreme prematurity, and they are more likely to die due to SUID in the first year of life.

"We have worked diligently to tackle this issue, but we till lead the nation in infant mortality," said Edney. "The best way to reduce infant mortality is to improve maternal health. Healthy women are more likely to have healthy pregnancies, which in turn leads to healthier babies who live to celebrate many birthdays."

In response to the rising IMR, MSDH declared a public health emergency in 2025, spearheading a multi-pronged strategy that included activating an OB (Obstetrics) System of Care, eliminating "OB deserts" by increasing prenatal care opportunities, partnering with hospitals and medical providers to address gaps in maternal care, and strengthening existing outreach programs.

MSDH also has several programs that provide access to free resources that include:

• Community events that provide educational information and pack-n-plays/cribs, sleep sacks and car seats.
• Healthy Moms/Healthy Babies Program in select counties that offer home visitation, parental and caregiver education and other safe sleep resources through a partnership with MSDH's Safe Sleep Mississippi Program.
• Healthy Birthday, Inc.'s Count the Kicks initiative for prevention of stillbirths.
• Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV), which focuses on healthy development and family well-being.
• Northeast Mississippi Healthy Start, which provides free services and support for mothers, fathers and infants.
• Early intervention services for children with identified social service, developmental and medical needs.

Communities and families should follow these recommendations to lower the risk of infant deaths:

• Improve infant safe sleep practices to reduce accidental sleep-related deaths.
• Promote early entry into prenatal care (first trimester).
• Eliminate alcohol, drugs and tobacco during pregnancy.
• Improve the health of women before and in-between pregnancies.
• Lower the risk of pre-term deliveries among pregnant women.
• Manage pre-existing chronic diseases in women of child-bearing age.

"It will take all of us – policymakers, healthcare providers, communities and families – working together to give every child the chance to live, thrive and celebrate their first birthday," said Edney.

For more information on infant mortality resources, visit https://msdh.ms.gov/maternal

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