Public Health Emergency Declared Over Rising Infant Mortality Rates

JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi State Department of Health on Thursday, Aug. 21 declared a public health emergency in response to the state’s rising infant mortality rates, the highest recorded in more than a decade.

According to 2024 state data, Mississippi’s infant mortality rate has climbed to 9.7 deaths per 1,000 live births. Since 2014, 3,527 infants have died before reaching their first birthday.

“Too many Mississippi families are losing their babies before their first birthday,” State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney said. “Every single infant loss represents a family devastated, a community impacted and a future cut short. Declaring this a public health emergency is more than a policy decision; it is an urgent commitment to save lives.”

The leading causes of infant deaths in Mississippi include congenital malformations, preterm birth, low birth weight and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Edney emphasized that improving maternal health is critical to reducing infant mortality. “That means better access to prenatal and postpartum care, stronger community support and more resources for moms and babies,” he said. “Healthy women of childbearing age are more likely to have healthy pregnancies, which in turn lead to healthier babies.”

The department is implementing a multi-pronged strategy to address the crisis, including:

• Activating an Obstetrics System of Care to standardize and regionalize maternal and infant services.
• Expanding prenatal care to eliminate “OB deserts” in underserved areas.
• Increasing community health worker programs to connect families with care.
• Strengthening the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies program for at-risk mothers and infants.
• Partnering with hospitals and providers to expand maternal care and encourage early prenatal visits.
• Promoting safe sleep education to prevent sudden infant deaths.

The emergency declaration allows MSDH to quickly mobilize resources and strengthen partnerships statewide while awaiting national data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention later this year.

“Mississippi has the knowledge, the resources and the resilience to change this story,” Edney said. “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.”