The United States confronted a disconcerting revelation as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) disclosed a substantial 3% increase in the infant mortality rate last year, marking the most significant rise in two decades.
This surge was particularly pronounced among white and Native American infants, infant boys, and babies born prematurely at 37 weeks or earlier. The CDC’s comprehensive report, released on Wednesday, underscored heightened mortality linked to two primary causes: maternal complications and bacterial meningitis.
Marie Thoma, a researcher at the University of Maryland, expressed her concern, emphasizing that this alarming reversal deviates from the long-established trend of declining infant mortality rates.
Dr. Eric Eichenwald, a neonatologist based in Philadelphia, termed this new data “disturbing.” Nevertheless, at present, experts can only offer conjecture to elucidate the unexpected spike in infant mortality rates during 2022.
RSV and influenza infections, after two years of pandemic-induced precautions, witnessed a resurgence last autumn. This resurgence inundated pediatric emergency departments nationwide, a development that “potentially accounts for some of it,” stated Eichenwald. He also chairs a committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics, responsible for formulating guidelines pertaining to newborn medical care.
Quantifying Infant Mortality: A Key Indicator
Infant mortality is a crucial metric that gauges the number of babies who succumb before their first birthday. To ensure meaningful comparisons over time, researchers employ rates, given the fluctuating number of annual births in the United States.
Although the United States has trailed other high-income nations in infant mortality rates, often attributed to factors like poverty and inadequate prenatal care, the nation had shown incremental improvement due to advances in medical science and public health initiatives.
The national infant mortality rate, however, ascended to 5.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022, up from 5.44 per 1,000 the previous year, as disclosed in the new report. While the increase may seem marginal, it signifies the first statistically significant elevation in the rate since the period spanning 2001 to 2002, as noted by Danielle Ely, the lead author of the CDC report. The researchers remain uncertain whether this increase in 2022 represents an isolated statistical anomaly or heralds the commencement of a lasting trend.
National Trends and Regional Variations
In a broader context, overall death rates exhibited a 5% reduction in 2022, which can be attributed to the diminishing influence of the Covid pandemic, particularly among individuals aged 65 and older. Maternal mortality rates in the United States also registered a decrease last year.
It is pertinent to mention that more than 30 states experienced modest increases in infant mortality rates in 2022. Nevertheless, four states recorded statistically significant escalations, namely Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, and Texas. Notably, Georgia witnessed an increase of 116 infant deaths compared to the prior year, while Texas recorded a surge of 251 more infant deaths.
Ely opined that certain states may exert a more substantial impact on the national rate. Nonetheless, even minor increases elsewhere hold significance, making it intricate to decipher the exact contributors behind the national statistics.
By AP
