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Mississippi health officials this week declared a public health emergency after new data showed the state’s infant mortality rate has soared. In 2024, 9.7 infants died for every 1,000 live births, up from 8.9 in 2023 and nearly double the national average of 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the state. Since 2014, 3,527 infants in Mississippi have died before their first birthday. Officials say the declaration will speed up efforts to expand prenatal care in underserved counties, strengthen home visiting programs, and improve emergency transfers to care. Mississippi ranks worst in the nation for preterm birth as well as infant and maternal health, according to a March of Dimes’ analysis of 2024 data. Black infants are also more than twice as likely as White infants to die in their first year of life.
Unique use of the declaration: Because the health issue in Mississippi is chronic rather than acute—such as a sudden infectious disease outbreak or a natural disaster that immediately impacts access to medical care—the declaration was unexpected and unprecedented. So far, no other U.S. state has declared a public health emergency specifically for infant mortality. A key strategy of the state’s health department includes partnering with health systems and medical providers to address gaps in maternal care and to reinforce the importance of early prenatal visits.