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Mississippi Declares Public Health Emergency as Infant Mortality Soars - Giovanna DeStefanis
Mississippi has declared a public health emergency in response to an alarming surge in infant mortality, a crisis that now claims nearly 10 infants per 1,000 live births in the state, almost double the national average. The declaration marks the first time the state has used its emergency powers to address maternal and infant health, underscoring the scale and urgency of the crisis.
In 2022, infant mortality at the national level rose 3% from the previous year, reaching 5.6 infant deaths per 1,000 births. While that increase was troubling it pales in comparison to Mississippi’s far more severe and disproportionate crisis.
State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney said the announcement was necessary because “every single infant loss represents a family devastated, a community impacted, and a future cut short.” Since 2014, more than 3,500 Mississippi babies have died before their first birthday, with 2024 alone marking the highest mortality rate in over a decade.
Behind these statistics are stark racial disparities and systemic inequities. Black infants in Mississippi die at rates more than twice that of white infants: 15.2 per 1,000 live births in 2024, a 24% increase in just one year, even as the rate for white infants declined.
Nearly half of the state’s counties are classified as “OB deserts” or “maternity care deserts,” with no local obstetric care available, forcing many families to travel hours for prenatal visits or delivery. For those living in rural areas or with limited income, such barriers make timely care nearly impossible.
In 2022, infant mortality at the national level rose 3% from the previous year, reaching 5.6 infant deaths per 1,000 births. While that increase was troubling it pales in comparison to Mississippi’s far more severe and disproportionate crisis.
State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney said the announcement was necessary because “every single infant loss represents a family devastated, a community impacted, and a future cut short.” Since 2014, more than 3,500 Mississippi babies have died before their first birthday, with 2024 alone marking the highest mortality rate in over a decade.
Behind these statistics are stark racial disparities and systemic inequities. Black infants in Mississippi die at rates more than twice that of white infants: 15.2 per 1,000 live births in 2024, a 24% increase in just one year, even as the rate for white infants declined.
Nearly half of the state’s counties are classified as “OB deserts” or “maternity care deserts,” with no local obstetric care available, forcing many families to travel hours for prenatal visits or delivery. For those living in rural areas or with limited income, such barriers make timely care nearly impossible.
https://feminist.org/news/mississippi-declares-public-health-emergency-as-infant-mortality-soars/]
3 replies
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Defunding woman's health care, criminalizing abortion procedures, running OBGYN out of most of the state....yeah, I just don't see how such a thing could happen.
Really do I need this? 
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