Context:

U.S. infant mortality dipped to a new all-time low in 2025, with about 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, a small but statistically meaningful improvement from 2024. The decline follows decades of gradual progress driven by medical advances and public health efforts, though the rate remains higher than many other high-income nations. Experts cite multiple potential contributors, including new preventive measures for RSV and flu, better maternal vaccination strategies, and safer sleep education, while disparities by race and geography persist. The preliminary trend suggests momentum could continue, but final figures and drivers remain under analysis, with renewed focus on equity and access shaping next steps.

Dive Deeper:

• In 2025, preliminary CDC data show infant mortality at about 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, a decline from roughly 5.5 in 2024 and 5.6 in 2022–2023, translating to hundreds fewer deaths annually.

• U.S. infant deaths numbered around 19,350 in 2025, with final tallies expected to be slightly higher after complete analysis, and the 2024 total projected at about 20,050.

• The overall U.S. rate has fallen over decades and was 7.5 per 1,000 three decades ago, but the country still trails several other high-income nations due to factors like poverty and prenatal care access.

• 2024 data highlight persistent racial disparities, with death rates for infants born to Black women more than twice those for infants of Hispanic, white, or Asian American women, and term babies showing some mortality improvements.

• 2023–2024 saw policy moves to reduce infant mortality, including a lab-made antibody shot for infants and an RSV vaccine for pregnant women, with a March of Dimes expert citing these measures as contributing to 2024’s improvement.

• The analysis notes declines in deaths among the youngest infants (under 28 days) and older infants, while changes across gestational age groups were mixed, suggesting multiple interacting factors.

• Geographic variation persists, with Mississippi at 9.65 deaths per 1,000 births and New Hampshire near 3 per 1,000, reflecting differences in care access, community conditions, and supportive health policies.