Mississippi has declared a public health emergency as infant mortality rates soar to levels not seen in over a decade. The crisis is hitting Black families hardest. In 2024, the state recorded 9.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births—nearly double the national average. But for Black infants, the rate was a staggering 15.2, almost three times the national figure.
“Too many Mississippi families are losing their babies before their first birthday,” said Dr. Dan Edney, the state’s top health officer. “We cannot and will not accept these numbers as our reality.”
Since 2014, more than 3,500 infants in Mississippi have died before turning one. The spike in deaths is driven largely by newborns under 28 days old, according to March of Dimes CEO Cindy Rahman. She cited prematurity, birth defects, and maternal complications as key contributors.
The disparity is stark: while Black infant deaths rose nearly 24% from 2023 to 2024, deaths among white infants declined. Experts link these outcomes to limited access to quality maternal care, especially in maternity care deserts—areas where prenatal services are scarce or nonexistent. Over half of Mississippi’s counties fall into this category.
Medicaid plays a critical role, covering 53% of births in the state. Rahman warned that any cuts to Medicaid would worsen the crisis. “Mississippi has the knowledge, the resources, and the resilience to change this story,” Edney said. “It will take all of us.”
See: “Mississippi’s Infant Mortality Crisis Raises Alarms” (August 25, 2025)
