MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Alabama’s infant mortality rate increased in 2023 from the previous year, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.

ADPH says the infant mortality rate of 7.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023 has increased from the state’s 2022 rate of 6.7, which was the lowest overall infant mortality rate in Alabama.

The most recent figures represent the deaths of 449 infants out of 57,835 live births in 2023 who did not reach the age of 1.

Alabama’s infant mortality rate remains higher than in the United States provisional rate from 5.6.

Among racial groups, the infant mortality rate for black infants increased to 13.0 (204 infant deaths) from 12.4 in 2022, and the rate for white infants increased to 5.7 (229 infant deaths) from 4 ,3 in 2022.

ADPH data shows that the top three causes of infant deaths in 2023 were:

• Congenital malformations, deformities and anomalies (20.7%)
• Disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight, not elsewhere classified (14.3%)
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (6.5%)

“Many factors contribute to infant mortality, including race, poverty, education levels and access. It is disheartening that racial disparities remain in birth outcomes, and the black infant mortality rate is twice the rate for white infants,” said Dr. Scott Harris, State Health Officer. “One possible reason is the limited access to prenatal care and the proximity of hospitals to where these mothers live. The challenges to improve the health of all mothers and babies continue. There is no easy solution; we must follow evidence-based practices to save lives.”

The state health department says the 2023 rate is the highest single-year rate since 2016, when it was 9.1.

Other pregnancy and birth statistics released Thursday by state health officials include:

• Medicaid was the payment method for 45% of all births in 2023; 52% of infant deaths were caused by mothers whose births were paid for by Medicaid. Private insurance paid for 50% of all births, and 39% of infant deaths occurred to mothers with births paid for by private insurance.
• The percentage of births without prenatal care (2.6) in 2023 was tied with 2020 as the highest in a decade.
• The number of births to teenagers fell and fell to an all-time low of 3,467. The teen birth rate remained at an all-time low of 6.0 for the second year running.
• The percentage of births to maternal smoking has been steadily declining and has fallen to a ten-year low of 3.9%. However, according to the Alabama Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System survey, in 2022, 16.1% of mothers reported using e-cigarettes or other electronic nicotine products in the past two years; 52.7% of these mothers used them more than once a day in the three months before they got pregnant.

Detailed graphs and charts are available on ADPH website.

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