Infant Mortality in the United States: Provisional Data From the 2023 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death File

Excerpt

Objectives: This report presents provisional 2023 data on infant mortality rates using the U.S. linked birth/infant death files. Infant mortality rates are shown by infant age at death, maternal race and Hispanic origin, maternal age, gestational age, sex of the newborn, maternal state of residence, and the 10 leading causes of infant death.

Methods: Data are from the period linked birth/infant death files, which link infant deaths with the corresponding birth certificates. Comparisons are made between provisional 2023 and final 2022 data. The linked birth/infant files are based on 100% of birth certificates and 98%–99% of infant death certificates registered in all states and the District of Columbia. For 2023, 1.2% of infant deaths remained unlinked. Infant deaths in states with less than 100% of infant death records linked to their respective birth records are weighted.

Results: In 2023, the U.S. provisional infant mortality rate was 5.61 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, unchanged from the rate in 2022. From 2022 to 2023, changes in the neonatal mortality rate (from 3.59 to 3.65) and the postneonatal mortality rate (from 2.02 to 1.96) were not statistically significant. Changes in infant mortality rates were not significant by most of the characteristics examined: maternal race and Hispanic origin, maternal age, gestational age, sex, or the 10 leading causes of infant death. By state, infant mortality rates increased in Nevada and Washington and declined in New Mexico and West Virginia.