Mississippi’s infant mortality rate dropped in 2025, State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney has confirmed.
Edney on Wednesday announced that an average of fewer than nine babies died per 1,000 live births last year. The figure was a noticeable dip from 2024’s figure of 9.7 babies dying per 1,000 births, which ranked Mississippi dead last in infant mortality nationally
“We saved about 45 babies in 2025 that we would have lost in 2024,” Edney said on MidDays with Gerard Gibert, adding that the number is still not where he wants it to be. “Our goal is to get our infant mortality rate down to around five (deaths per 1,000 live births). We need to reduce the number of babies we’re losing per year by 50%. By doing that, we’re not only getting off the bottom, but we are showing other states how to do it.”
Mississippi also has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the nation. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mississippi has 39.1 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Edney, however, believes there is a direct correlation between infant mortality rates dropping and maternal healthcare improving.
He is also confident that improving infant mortality rates will increase life expectancy in Mississippi. Mississippians currently live an average of 72.6 years.
“When you see infant mortality going down, you see maternal health going up because those two things are tightly linked,” Edney said. “This is the top priority for us at the health department. It is a huge cause of why our life expectancy is so low. As we improve maternal and infant mortality, you will see the life expectancy of Mississippians go up.”
September is recognized as Infant Mortality Awareness Month in Mississippi, and state healthcare officials have kicked off a campaign to promote habits that will help mothers and babies during pregnancy and delivery.
The state health department has promoted a list of recommendations, including improving sleep practices, beginning prenatal care early, eliminating alcohol and substance use during pregnancy, lowering the risk of preterm pregnancy, and managing preexisting chronic diseases among women of childbearing age.