From PhillyVoice · · 2m
Infant Mortality Rises, Racial Gaps Widen
Racial disparities in infant mortality widen as sudden unexplained deaths surge.
In brief
Racial disparities in infant mortality widen as sudden unexplained deaths surge. Black infant mortality rates increased while white rates fell after 2020, with sudden unexplained infant deaths driving the gap. Originally reported by PhillyVoice.
Infant Mortality Rates Rising
Infant mortality rates for black babies increased from 10.7 to 13.2 deaths per 1,000 live births between 2023 and 2024.
White Infant Mortality Falls
White infant mortality rates dropped from 5.6 to 4.3 deaths per 1,000 live births between 2003 and 2024.
Racial Disparities Widen
Black infants have more than twice the risk of death compared to white infants, with maternal mortality rates three times higher for black women.
SUID Drives Gap
Sudden unexplained infant death rates among black americans ticked up since 2020 compared to white americans, accounting for 35% of the net change.
Kff Analysis
A 2025 kff analysis of federal statistics shows black infants have more than twice the risk of death compared to white infants.
Suid Definition
Sudden unexplained infant death includes sudden accidental deaths from suffocation and sudden natural deaths from infections, neurological disorders, and other medical issues.
Suid Accounts for 35% of Gap
Sudden unexplained infant death accounts for 35% of the net change in the infant mortality gap between black and white americans.
Suid Rates Increase
In 2024, there were about 3,400 sudden unexplained infant deaths, with 1,351 cases of sudden infant death syndrome.
Suid Risk Factors
Risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome include exposure to smoking during pregnancy, unsafe sleeping positions, and exposure to alcohol during pregnancy.
Prevention Tips
Having babies sleep on their backs, removing loose bedding from cribs, avoiding co-sleeping, and not swaddling once babies can roll over may reduce sids risk.
Study Published
The study, published sept 22 in jama network open, analyzed data from the u.s. national center for health statistics between 2003 and 2024.
The key point
Black infant mortality rates increased while white rates fell after 2020, with sudden unexplained infant deaths driving the gap.
