The infant mortality rate in the United States decreased in 2024, following a plateau during the late stages of the pandemic. One contributing factor to this decline may be the vaccination campaign targeting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common illness that poses risks to infants.
Provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that the national infant mortality rate fell to approximately 5.5 deaths per 1,000 live births last year, down from the previous rate of 5.6 per 1,000 live births in the preceding two years. Experts anticipate minimal changes in these findings when the final numbers are released later this year.
Infant mortality is a critical measure of the number of babies who pass away before their first birthday. Despite fluctuations in the annual number of births, researchers calculate rates to provide a more accurate comparison of infant mortality trends over time.
The total number of infant deaths in the U.S. decreased to about 19,900 in 2024, a decline from approximately 20,150 in 2023. While the U.S. has historically had a higher infant mortality rate compared to other high-income countries due to factors such as poverty and inadequate prenatal care, advancements in medical care and public health initiatives have led to improvements over the years.
The rise in the infant mortality rate observed in 2022 and 2023 was linked to a resurgence in RSV and influenza infections following two years of pandemic restrictions. Health officials responded by introducing new preventive measures, including a laboratory-produced antibody injection for infants and RSV vaccination for pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks gestation.
Dr. Amanda Williams, interim chief medical officer for the March of Dimes, suggested that these efforts likely contributed to the improvement in infant mortality rates. A recent CDC report highlighted a significant decrease in infant hospitalizations during the 2024-25 respiratory virus season compared to previous years.
While progress has been made, Williams emphasized the need to further investigate additional factors influencing the decline in infant mortality rates in 2024. Notably, improvements were most notable in infants over one month old at the time of death, possibly reflecting reduced deaths not only from RSV but also from other causes such as accidents, homicides, or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
