Mississippi declares emergency as infant deaths rise: What parents need to know

Mississippi declares emergency as infant deaths rise—the crisis every parent should know about

Credit: Canva/Motherly

Since 2014, more than 3,500 Mississippi infants have died before their first birthday.

Table of Contents

Mississippi has declared a public health emergency after new data revealed a heartbreaking truth: babies in the state are dying before their first birthdays at nearly twice the national average. In 2024, 9.7 infants died for every 1,000 live births, compared to the U.S. average of 5.6 deaths per 1,000, according to the Mississippi Department of Health.

The declaration underscores how serious this crisis has become. Since 2014, more than 3,500 Mississippi infants have died before their first birthday. Each number represents a baby lost, a grieving family, and a community forever changed.

While this emergency is focused on Mississippi, experts warn it’s also a warning sign for families across the country. The U.S. continues to face one of the highest infant mortality rates among wealthy nations, and families of color shoulder a disproportionate share of the loss.

Disparities that cannot be ignored

Behind Mississippi’s high overall infant mortality rate are stark racial disparities. Black infants in the state are more than twice as likely as White infants to die before their first birthday, according to the Mississippi Department of Health.

And this inequity isn’t unique to the South. In Boston, a city with some of the nation’s best hospitals, local data show Black infants still die at more than double the rate of the citywide average, and triple the rate of White infants.

Experts stress that these losses are not just about individual medical circumstances. “So much of what we see in neonatal intensive care units reflects challenges that moms face long before delivery — poverty, access to healthcare, housing, even transportation,” said Dr. Stephen Patrick, a neonatologist and professor at Emory University told CBS News.

Dr. Rebekah Gee, former Louisiana health secretary, also told CBS News, “Healthy babies come from healthy moms. If women can’t get continuous healthcare before, during, and after pregnancy, it is no surprise their babies are dying at higher rates.”

These perspectives point to a hard truth: infant mortality is deeply shaped by systemic inequities, and addressing it requires solutions that extend beyond hospital walls.

Why Mississippi declared a public health emergency

Declaring a public health emergency for infant mortality is highly unusual. Mississippi officials said the move was necessary to accelerate action and coordinate resources across hospitals, state agencies, and community groups.

The plan includes expanding prenatal services in counties without obstetric providers, creating a regional obstetric care system to improve emergency transfers, and strengthening home-visiting and community health worker programs, according to the Mississippi Department of Health.

Experts say this level of urgency is warranted. “This is a novel and necessary step,” Dr. Michael Warren, Chief Medical and Health Officer at March of Dimes, told CBS News, “It elevates infant mortality to the level of urgent crisis response, which it truly is.”

Other leaders emphasize that while medical care is part of the solution, broader maternal health gaps must also be addressed. “Improving maternal health is the best way to reduce infant mortality,” said Dr. Dan Edney, Mississippi’s State Health Officer.

Taken together, these responses highlight an important shift: tackling infant mortality means not only treating sick babies, but also investing in the health and wellbeing of mothers and families before and after birth.

The role of Medicaid and federal programs

Mississippi’s emergency plan is a step forward, but experts warn it won’t work if national programs lose support. The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program that has tracked maternal and infant health for nearly 40 years, faces elimination.

Similarly, the long-running Safe to Sleep® campaign, which educated parents on reducing risks of sleep-related infant deaths, has been targeted for cuts. Without these resources, states like Mississippi may lose the very tools they need to measure risks and respond effectively.

For many parents in Mississippi, Medicaid is the difference between care and going without it. The program finances nearly 6 in 10 births in the state, far higher than the national average, according to KFF Health News analysis of government data. In 2023, postpartum coverage was extended to a year but without full Medicaid expansion, many women remain uninsured before or between pregnancies. Experts say these gaps make it harder to keep moms healthy, and by extension, their babies.

The bottom line: programs like PRAMS, Safe to Sleep®, and Medicaid provide families with essential care and information, helping more babies reach their first birthday.

What parents can do

While the biggest solutions must come from systemic change, there are steps families can take to help protect their babies:

Follow safe sleep practices

Place babies on their backs, use a firm mattress, and keep the crib free of pillows, blankets, and toys. Learn more from the CDC Safe to Sleep® campaign.

Prioritize prenatal and postpartum care

Regular checkups help monitor both maternal and infant health, catch complications early, and connect families to local resources.

Ask about home visiting programs

Many communities offer nurses or health workers who can visit your home, answer questions, and provide support in the first year.

Know it’s not all on you

Even the most attentive parents can’t offset gaps in healthcare access or housing. Experts emphasize that families need strong systems of support — and that’s why protecting programs like Medicaid and PRAMS is so critical.

A national call to action

Mississippi’s emergency is a warning for families across the U.S. Experts say real change requires coordinated action at every level, from state programs to federal policy.

Protecting initiatives like PRAMS and the Safe to Sleep® campaign gives families the tools to prevent infant deaths, while expanding Medicaid coverage before, during, and after pregnancy helps moms stay healthy and healthy moms are more likely to have healthy babies.

Parents can stay informed, prioritize care for their own families, and raise their voices in conversations about maternal and infant health, whether by contacting local representatives, supporting maternal health organizations, or sharing trusted resources in their communities. As Mississippi’s State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney told CBS News, “It will take all of us working together to give every child the chance to live, thrive, and celebrate their first birthday.”

Sources: