America's Mississippi declares public health emergency over record rise in infant deaths

Health officials in Mississippi have declared a public health emergency amid a sharp rise in the state’s infant mortality rate, the highest recorded in a decade, according to a Time report.

According to 2024 data, there were 9.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, up from 8.9 in 2023.

“Every single infant loss represents a family devastated, a community impacted and a future cut short,” Time quoted state health officer Dr. Dan Edney as saying in a statement.

Since 2014, 3,527 infants in Mississippi have died before their first birthday, according to state data. The state has seen a sharp rise in neonatal deaths, those occurring in the first month, and a stark racial gap: the infant mortality rate for Black families is 15.2 per 1,000 live births, compared to 5.8 for white families.

Mississippi has long faced poor maternal and infant health outcomes. A 2024 March of Dimes report card gave the state an “F,” ranking it worst in the nation for infant mortality and preterm births. Contributing factors include poor maternal health and limited access to quality care, reported Time.

“Mississippi has historically ranked low when it comes to these birth outcomes,” Time quoted Dr. Michael Warren, chief medical and health officer for the March of Dimes, as saying an interview. “But they’re not alone," he added.

Between 2023 and 2024, infant mortality rates worsened in 24 states, including Arkansas and Louisiana.

“This is reflective of a large trend,” said Warren.

Maternal and infant health was already fragile in states like Mississippi, but the situation is worsening.

Many rural counties have lost ob-gyns and maternity services, forcing women to travel long distances for care. Over half of Mississippi’s counties, and one-third nationwide, are considered maternity care deserts, lacking hospitals, ob-gyns, and certified midwives.

Low Medicaid and private insurance reimbursements are pushing ob-gyns out of practice in the South. Remaining providers face staffing shortages and burnout, leaving some women without timely emergency care during childbirth.

Mississippi and other Southern states have also not expanded Medicaid, limiting women’s access to healthcare before pregnancy. As a result, chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes go unmanaged, raising the risk of premature births, a major factor in infant deaths.

“Taking care of those chronic diseases before pregnancy matters,” said Warren, adding, “So that when a person chooses to become pregnant, they’re in an optimal state of health, and they’re going to have the best chance of a good outcome for them and the baby.”

In its public health emergency declaration, Mississippi announced plans to reduce the number of ob-gyn deserts by expanding prenatal care access in targeted counties.

The state also aims to grow its community health worker programme to help connect mothers and babies with care close to home.

“Mississippi has the knowledge, the resources and the resilience to change this story,” Time  quoted Edney, the state health officer, as saying.

“It will take all of us — policymakers, healthcare providers, communities and families —working together to give every child the chance to live, thrive and celebrate their first birthday.”

With inputs from agencies