According to a study done by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), the infant mortality rate in Alabama increased in 2023. The results of the study show while the causes of death vary, black infants are dying at twice the rate as white infants.
Out of 57,835 live births in Alabama in 2023, 449 died before reaching one year of age. That is 7.8 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The three leading causes of infant in 2023 are as follows:
- 20.7%: Congenital malformations, deformations, and abnormalities
- 14.3%: Disorders related to short gestation and low birth rate, not elsewhere classified
- 6.5%: Sudden infant death syndrome
Among racial groups, the infant mortality rate of white infants rose to 5.7, or 229 deaths, from 4.3 in 2022. For black infants, the mortality rate rose to 13.0, or 204 deaths, from 12.4 in 2022.
“Many factors contribute to infant mortality, including race, poverty, educational levels, and access. It is discouraging that racial disparities remain in birth outcomes, and the Black infant mortality rate is twice the rate for white infants,” says State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris.
“A possible reason is limited access to prenatal care and the proximity of hospitals to where these mothers live. Challenges to improve the health of all mothers and babies continue. There is no easy solution; we must follow evidence-based practices to save lives.”
ADPH has programs that focus on the reduction of infant deaths, including:
- In response to a lack of access to prenatal care in rural counties, ADPH is partnering with medical providers to provide prenatal care to low-risk women in up to nine county health departments through in-person or telehealth visits, up to 36 weeks of pregnancy.
- To help prevent sleep-related infant deaths, the Cribs for Kids program provides cribs for families without a safe place for their babies to sleep. In the past three years, the program has provided 2,500 cribs at no charge to the families.
- The Clear the Crib Challenge was implemented in 2023 to reduce the risk of sudden infant deaths and suffocation. This promotion challenges participants to clear a crib of all items except a firm mattress, fitted sheet, and the baby. This social media promotion encourages sharing the ABCs of safe sleep–alone, back, crib.
- The Well Woman Program promotes healthy living, prevention, and early detection of disease for women ages 15 to 55, resulting in healthier pregnancies. The program will expand from nine counties in the past fiscal year to 12 counties in fiscal year 2025, providing preconception, interconception, and postconception care.
- ALL Babies has expanded to statewide coverage for pregnant women without other insurance who fall within the income guidelines of the program.
- Nurses from the Fetal Infant Mortality Review Program, based in five major delivering hospitals, review most fetal and all infant deaths. Case summaries are presented to a regional multi-disciplinary committee to determine the cause of death and ways to prevent future deaths.
Additional programs include the Count the Kicks phone application to count fetal kicks, increased education on the impact of sexually transmitted diseases on pregnancies and newborns, promotion of car seat safety, and WIC participation to improve nutrition for infants and young children. WIC serves women who are pregnant, recently had a baby, or are breastfeeding; infants; and children up to 5 years of age.
