JACKSON, Miss., Sept. 2 -- The Mississippi Department of Health issued the following news release:
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) joins other agencies across the country every September in recognizing Infant Mortality Awareness Month with the mission of reducing the number of babies who die within their first year of life.
Infant mortality is an alarming issue that has plagued Mississippi for years. Unfortunately, the state continues to lead the nation in claiming far too many precious lives, according to the most recent Mississippi Infant Mortality Report. Our infant mortality rate (IMR) for 2024 (the most recent year available) was up to 9.7 per 1,000 births, a significant increase from 8.9 per 1,000 births in 2023, a...