US infant mortality rate rises for first time in 20 years

For the first time in more than 20 years, the infant mortality rate in the United States has risen, according to federal data released on Wednesday.

A report by the National Center for Health Statistics noted an increase to 5.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022 totaling 20,538 deaths, which is a 3 percent increase from 5.44 per 1,000 in 2021.

Despite the new data, the report didn't explain the reasons behind the rising infant mortality rates, indicating that more research and analysis should be applied. Researchers suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on pregnant mothers could partly drive the inclines.

The uptick reverses the declining trend of recent years, marking the first annual increase in more than 20 years. Infant mortality had previously decreased from 6.8 per 1,000 live births in 2001 to 7.0 per 1,000 in 2002.

The mortality rate for newborns, infants who die before reaching 28 days of age, saw a 3 percent rise from 3.49 per 1,000 live births in 2021 to 3.58 in 2022. Post-neonatal mortality, concerning infants aged 28 to 364 days, increased by 4 percent, from 1.95 to 2.02 per 1,000 during the same period.

The number of deaths among babies and mothers often reflects a country's general health, and the rates in the US are higher than in other developed countries.

"We live in a country with significant resources, so the infant mortality rate and the increase are shockingly high," Dr Sandy Chung, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, wrote to CNN. "As pediatricians who help children grow into healthy adults, any death of any child is one too many. The infant mortality rate in this country in unacceptable."

"The US is falling behind on a basic indicator of how well societies treat people," said Arjumand Siddiqi, a University of Toronto professor who studies population health told The Wall Street Journal. "In a country as well-resourced as the US, with as much medical technology and so on, we shouldn't have babies dying in the first year of life. That should be super rare and it's not."

The report also indicated that fatalities among infants due to maternal complications such as preeclampsia or premature births have surged by 8 percent and 14 percent, respectively.

Dr Tracey Wilkinson, an associate professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine, told ABC News that the rise in infant mortality rates wasn't surprising. She cited the lack or absence of maternity care and restricted access to abortion as potential contributing factors.

"Any pregnancy that is intended and planned tends to be a healthier outcome and healthy infant outcome," Wilkinson said. "So, when you remove the ability for people to decide if and when to have families and continue pregnancies, ultimately, you are having more pregnancies continue that don't have all those factors in place."

The report also detailed infant mortality rates by the race or ethnicity of the mother. Almost all ethnic groups saw a rise, with significant increases among infants born to American Indian or Alaskan Native women — from 7.46 to 9.06 deaths per 1,000, a spike of more than 20 percent. Rates for white women also increased, by 3 percent, from 4.36 to 4.49 per 1,000.

The report found that the mortality rate for black infants, often in areas with limited healthcare access, didn't increase dramatically, but it has still remained the highest — nearly double the rate for white infants at approximately 11 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Wilson said that in her state Indiana, heath centers are reportedly struggling with insufficient labor and delivery care providers.

The study also found an increase in the infant mortality rate among mothers ages 25-29; the rate increased to 5.37 per 1,000 live births last year, up from 5.15 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021.

Agencies contributed to this story.