Overview

• In 2024, Mississippi recorded 9.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, the highest in more than a decade and roughly double the recent national average, with 3,527 infant deaths tallied since 2014.
• State data and March of Dimes reporting show widening disparities, including a Black infant mortality rate of 15.2 per 1,000 and a nearly 24% year-over-year increase for Black infants.
• Health officials plan to add prenatal services in counties without obstetric providers, build a regional obstetric system to improve emergency transfers, and strengthen home visiting and community health worker programs.
• Nearly half of Mississippi’s counties qualify as obstetric care deserts, leaving families with little or no access to maternity services and elevating risk for poor outcomes.
• The response is complicated by reduced federal surveillance capacity, with the CDC’s PRAMS program targeted for elimination and related staff layoffs reported in June.