‘Disturbing’: Infant mortality rate in US shoots 3% up in 2022, highest in two decades

The infant mortality rate in the US shot three per cent up in 2022, the largest increase in two decades, something which experts view as “disturbing.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a significant death rate increase was observed amongst infant boys and girls born at 37 weeks or earlier.

Infant mortality is the measure of how many babies die before they reach their first birthday.

The CDC also observed that the two largest causes behind the increase in the mortality rate were maternal complications and bacterial meningitis.

"It's definitely concerning, given that it's going in the opposite direction from what it has been," said Marie Thoma, a University of Maryland researcher who studies maternal and infant mortality.

Another expert, a Philadelphia-based neonatologist, Eric Eichenwald, said the report by the CDC was disturbing but warned that we can only speculate as to what was leading to this increase in the death rate.

One-year anomaly?

The recent increase, though seemingly small, marks the first statistically significant uptick in the rate since the period between 2001 and 2002, as stated by Danielle Ely, the lead author of the CDC report.

Ely also mentioned that researchers were unable to determine whether the 2022 rise is merely a one-year statistical anomaly or a long-lasting trend.

Overall death rate down 5 per cent

On a broader scale within the United States, the overall death rate witnessed a 5 per cent decline in 2022.

This decrease can be largely attributed to the diminishing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among individuals aged 65 and older. Maternal mortality in the US also decreased in the previous year.

Watch:Gaza medical facilities overwhelmed; infants suffer due to lack of nutrition & necessities

Although more than 30 states experienced slight increases in infant mortality rates in 2022, four states, namely Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, and Texas, observed statistically significant rises.

In terms of numbers, the United States recorded over 20,500 infant deaths in 2022, which is 610 more than the preceding year. Notably, Georgia saw 116 additional infant deaths compared to the previous year, while Texas reported 251 more infant deaths.

(With inputs from agencies)