infant mortality

By 2030, the federal government wants infant mortality to fall to 5 or fewer deaths per 1,000 live births. According to annual data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 states have already met or surpassed that goal, including Nevada, New York, and California. But none of those states are in the South, where infant mortality is by far the highest in the country, with Mississippi’s rate of 8.12 deaths per 1,000 live births ranking worst.

South Carolina has reported a 7% drop in infant deaths from 2019 and 2020. But the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control says the rate of babies dying before their first birthday is likely still above the national average. The agency's annual report says that 364 of the 55,713 babies born in South Carolina last year died within their first year. Public health officials say the decrease in deaths is promising but disparities are widening between white babies and babies of color.