U.S. Infant Mortality Rate Reaches All-Time Low in 2025, Though Still Higher Than Other Wealthy Nations

The U.S. infant mortality rate fell to a new all-time low in 2025, dropping to slightly fewer than 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This represents a statistically meaningful decline from 5.5 in 2024 and 5.6 in the two preceding years, translating to hundreds of fewer infant deaths annually. The total number of U.S. infant deaths fell to approximately 19,350 in 2025, down from about 20,050 in 2024 and 20,160 in 2023, according to provisional CDC data that may see minor adjustments as analysis continues.

Experts attribute improvements in recent years to several factors, including the introduction of new preventive measures in 2023. U.S. health officials began recommending a lab-made antibody shot for infants to help their immune systems fight respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), as well as RSV vaccination for pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation. Additionally, increased education about safe infant sleeping practices has contributed to a decline in sudden infant death syndrome. "This is an encouraging data point, and we hope that this trend will continue," said Dr. Michael Warren, chief medical and health officer for the March of Dimes.

Despite reaching an all-time low, the U.S. rate remains substantially higher than in comparable high-income nations. A study published in 2024 found that the U.S. infant mortality rate in 2022 was nearly twice as high as in countries including Italy, Japan, Spain, and Sweden. Experts have attributed this disparity to poverty, inadequate prenatal care, and other systemic factors. Significant disparities also persist within the U.S.: in 2024, death rates for infants born to Black women were more than twice those for infants of Hispanic, white, and Asian American women. Mississippi reported the highest infant mortality rate at 9.65 deaths per 1,000 births, while New Hampshire had the lowest at just under 3 per 1,000.

The long-term improvement reflects decades of progress driven by medical advances and public health efforts. Three decades ago, the U.S. infant mortality rate stood at 7.5 per 1,000 live births. However, the trend faced a setback in 2022 with the first statistically significant increase in approximately two decades, which experts attributed to a rebound in RSV and influenza infections. The 2025 data show that declines have continued for both the youngest infants under 28 days old and older infants, as well as for those born at full term.