Infant Death Rate Hits Historic Low in U.S., Yet Remains Higher Than in Similar Countries
CDC data show the decline may mean hundreds fewer infant deaths a year, though U.S. rates still exceed those in peer nations.
- Infant mortality in the U.S. dropped to a record low in 2025, with provisional CDC data showing slightly fewer than 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to preliminary government data.
- This rate marks a statistically meaningful decline from about 5.5 deaths per 1,000 in 2024, translating to hundreds of fewer infant deaths per year despite the modest numerical shift.
- Medical advances, including RSV vaccines for pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, and increased education on safe infant sleep likely contributed to the improvement.
- Despite overall progress, death rates for infants born to Black women remained more than twice as high as those for Hispanic and Asian American women, revealing persistent racial disparities.
- Dr. Michael Warren, chief medical and health officer for the March of Dimes, said "this is an encouraging data point," though U.S. rates still exceed those in Italy, Japan, Spain, and Sweden.
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Associated Press News
The US infant mortality rate fell to an all-time low, though it still trails other similar nations
The nation’s infant mortality dropped to a new all-time low in 2025. The U.S. national infant mortality rate dropped to below 5.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025.
US infant mortality rate falls to all-time low, but still trails other nations
Infant mortality in the U.S. dropped to a new all-time low in 2025, according to preliminary government data.There were slightly fewer than 5.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.While that appears to be a small decline from about 5.5 in 2024 and 5.6 in the two years preceding, researchers say it is statistically meaningful and translates to hundreds of fewer infant deaths per…
Infant mortality in the United States reached a new historical low in 2025, according to preliminary government data.
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