U.S. Infant Mortality Rates Decreased By 24.2% Over 20 Years

Infant mortality rates in the United States declined by 24.2% between 1999 and 2022, from 736.0 per 100,000 infants in 1999 to 558.0 per 100,000 infants in 2022. Infant mortality from sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) has increased significantly to become the third of the 13 leading causes of death.

However, the trend in mortality rates varied across racial/ethnic populations. Mortality rates were two to four times higher among Black infants than for white infants for 11 of the 13 leading causes of death. For example, the lowest mortality rate for SUID was among . . .