The U.S. death rate for babies rose 3% last year, the first jump in two decades.
In 2022, there were 5.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, according to provisional data released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That’s 3% higher than the 5.44 infant deaths per 1,000 live births the country saw in 2021.
Last year marks the first time the infant mortality rate has jumped since 2002, when the death rate rose to 7 deaths per 1,000 live births, up from 6.8 deaths in 2001.
Some groups of infants saw significant death rate increases, including baby boys, white infants, Native American infants, and premature babies born at 37 weeks or earlier. Native American mothers saw their infant mortality rate rise from 7.46 infant deaths per 1,000 to 9.06 deaths in 2022. White mothers saw the death rate rise from 4.36 per 1,000 to 9.06 deaths.
Maternal complications and bacterial sepsis, two of the leading causes of infant deaths, also increased last year.
Dr. Eric Eichenwald, a Philadelphia-based neonatologist, called the new data “disturbing.”
An increase in RSV and flu infections last fall among babies that led to emergency room visits across the country “could potentially account for some of it,” Eichenwald told the Associated Press. However, he said experts can only speculate so far about why the death rate for babies suddenly increased after years of declining.
The infant mortality rate, which measures how many babies die before they reach their first birthday, has otherwise been declining in recent years. The neonatal mortality rate, which measures how many infants die less than 28 days after birth, also rose 3% last year. The neonatal mortality rate jumped to 3.58 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022, up from 3.49 deaths in 2021.
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The postneonatal mortality rate, which looks at infant deaths between 28 days old and one year old, jumped even higher, 4% up to 2.02 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to 1.95 deaths in 2021.
Overall, more than 20,500 babies died in the U.S. last year. That’s more than 610 infant deaths than during the previous year.
Georgia, Iowa, Missouri and Texas saw significant increases in their infant mortality rates last year. Only one state, Nevada, saw a decrease. Georgia saw 116 more infant deaths last year than in 2021. Texas had 251 more infant deaths.
“It would appear that some of the states could be having a larger impact on the [national] rate,” said Danielle Ely, the CDC report’s lead author.
Meanwhile, the overall death rate in the U.S. fell 5% last year. The falling death rate has been mostly attributed to the country recovering from the pandemic.
Maternal deaths also fell last year across the nation.