Mississippi has announced a public health emergency after new state data revealed the infant mortality rate has reached levels not seen in over a decade, according to reports.

Figures from the Department of Health show that in 2024, 9.7 infants died per 1,000 live births—almost twice the national average of 5.6. Since 2014, more than 3,500 babies in Mississippi have died before turning one.

State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney said the announcement was meant to underscore the severity of the crisis. "Every single infant loss represents a family devastated, a community impacted, and a future cut short. We cannot and will not accept these numbers as our reality." 

Premature birth, congenital conditions, low birthweight, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome are the leading drivers of infant deaths in Mississippi. But the crisis is not evenly distributed. Black babies are more than twice as likely as white babies in the state to die before their first birthday, and officials note those racial gaps are widening.

Declaring a statewide emergency over infant deaths is rare. Dr. Michael Warren, Chief Medical and Health Officer at of March of Dimes, called it “a novel and necessary step. It elevates infant mortality to the level of urgent crisis response, which it truly is.”

The order gives officials more flexibility to expand maternal and infant health programs. Plans include increasing prenatal services in areas without obstetric care, creating a coordinated referral system for high-risk pregnancies, and scaling up home-visiting programs and community health worker outreach.

“Improving maternal health is the best way to reduce infant mortality,” Edney said.

Other experts agree but warn that the issue goes beyond medical care. Dr. Rebekah Gee, CEO of Nest Health, explained: "Healthy babies come from healthy moms. If women can't get continuous healthcare before, during, and after pregnancy, it is no surprise their babies are dying at higher rates."

Dr. Stephen Patrick of Emory University added that poverty, transportation, and housing also shape outcomes. “So much of what we see in neonatal intensive care units reflects challenges that moms face long before delivery,” he said. “Poverty, access to healthcare, housing, even transportation.”