INDIANAPOLIS — New numbers from the Indiana Department of Health show the state’s infant mortality rate is decreasing.
Infant mortality is the death of a child before their first birthday and is measured by the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
Provisional data for 2024 released on Tuesday shows Indiana’s Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is 6.3, down from 6.6 the year prior.
This is the lowest rate of infant deaths in the state since 1900.
“Ensuring moms are as healthy as possible before, during and between pregnancies are great ways to make sure babies are born as healthy as possible, at full term and full weight," Assistant Commissioner, Women, Children and Families Eden Bezy said.
Bezy says babies in Indiana are born too small and too early.
These risk factors contribute to the state’s IMR, which is higher than the national average.
“Our main driver of infant mortality is perinatal risks, and what that means is conditions related to and a lot of times the health of the mom," she said.
Dr. Tracey Wilkinson, associate professor of Pediatrics and Obstetrics & Gynecology with Indiana University School of Medicine, says infant mortality rates can vary depending on race, ethnicity and geography.
“The rate for infant mortality is dramatically higher when you look at individuals that are not white, and the rate can be significantly higher based on the region of the state you’re coming from," Dr. Wilkinson said.
According to data from 2023, non-Hispanic Black infants death per every 1,000 live births is 13.8, compared to 5.1 for non-Hispanic White infants.
That’s almost three times the amount.
“The care that you are provided and the delivery of that care differs based on who you are and the color of your skin, and so, as devastating as it is, most health outcomes, including infant and maternal mortality have huge differences when you look at race and ethnicity," Dr. Wilkinson said.
Although the numbers are decreasing now, she’s concerned for the future.
“Remember that states with really strict abortion bans, we’re seeing spikes in infant and maternal mortality, which we might not see in the data for our state just yet, but may show up in subsequent years.”
