Mississippi’s 2021 Mississippi Infant Mortality Rates Report revealed that every region in Mississippi ranked higher in infant mortality than the national average of 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. The leading causes of infant death in Mississippi are prematurity, low birthweight, birth defects, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
In 2021, Mississippi continued to lead the nation, with 327 Mississippi babies dying before the age of one. The report also highlighted that Mississippi has the highest premature birth rate in the nation, contributing to high infant mortality rates. The report also detailed each county’s average infant mortality rate over a 10-year period, showing that only two counties met the national recommendation of no more than five infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
The report also highlighted numerous racial and socioeconomic disparities in infant morbidity, with twice as many black women as white women diagnosed with preexisting hypertension. Read the full Maternity Care Report here.
