Infant Mortality Awareness Month
By Andrea Arendt, Epidemiology Investigator Program Manager, Ohio Department of Children and Youth
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September is Infant Mortality Awareness Month. This is a time to raise awareness of and promote efforts and programs to reduce infant mortality. Infant mortality is the death of an infant before his or her first birthday. The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), defined as the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births, is an important marker of overall health of a population. In 2024, 841 infants in Ohio died, for a rate of 6.6 per 1,000 live births. Although this rate is higher than the national average of 5.5 per 1,000 live births,1 it is the lowest IMR in Ohio in at least 20 years. The Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) is committed to reducing infant mortality and improving maternal health by investing in communities, building data-driven partnerships, and supporting proven programs. DCY has set a short-term goal of lowering overall infant mortality to 6.0 per 1,000 live births by the end of state fiscal year 2027 (June 30, 2027).
IMR varies across demographic groups. Infants born to non-Hispanic Black mothers are 2.5 times more likely to die than those born to non-Hispanic White mothers. Infants born to young mothers (younger than 20 years old) and older mothers (40 years and older) are more likely to die when compared to those born to mothers 20 to 39 years old. Mothers covered by Medicaid are more than two times more likely to experience an infant death when compared to mothers who have another form of insurance or are uninsured.2
Prematurity-related conditions were the most common cause of death among infants, accounting for nearly one third (30%) of all infant deaths. More than a third of all deaths (36%) were infants who were born at less than 24 weeks gestation, regardless of cause. Among infants who died in the post neonatal period (28 through 364 days), Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) is the most common cause of death. These deaths are most often sleep-related.
A full report on infant mortality in 2024 can be found on the Ohio Department of Children and Youth’s website (Data Reporting | Department of Children and Youth). Preliminary data can be found at Ohio Infant Mortality Scorecard | DataOhio.
Sources
Ely DM, Driscoll AK. Infant mortality in the United States: Provisional data from the 2024 period linked birth/infant death file. Vital Statistics Rapid Release. 2026 Jan;(42):1–8. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc/174638
Ohio Department of Medicaid. Report on Pregnant Women, Infants, and Children: State Fiscal Year 2025. Available at Reports & Research | Medicaid.
