Our infant mortality surveillance program examines the causes of infant death before the age of 1 year in order to improve public health programs that help infants in Mississippi survive and thrive.
Mississippi continues to have one of the highest rates of infant mortality in the nation. Almost 1 in 100 babies born to Mississippi mothers die before they are 1 year old.
Causes and Prevention
Low birth weight, often accompanied by premature birth, is the leading cause of infant mortality in Mississippi. Low birth weight is often an indicator of the mother's poor health before and during pregnancy. This in turn reflects community and environmental influences on health that affect the population of the state as a whole.
Other leading factors in infant mortality are genetic defects that babies are born with, and sudden/unexpected infant death syndrome.
Prevention
Proper health care for the mother before and during pregnancy can directly reduce the number of babies born with risks to their health and survival. This is especially important for mothers who, like many Mississippians, have existing health conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
MSDH offers support and education especially designed for healthy pregnancies and healthier births:
Reports
MSDH's Infant Mortality Reports examine the causes of infant mortality in detail, track the state's progress, and give specific public health recommendations to bring about improvement.
Resources
The Infant Mortality Surveillance Program
The program works to discover patterns of infant mortality in the state, identify contributing factors, and develop effective ways to reduce Mississippi's infant mortality rate.
The program's activities center on surveillance and data analysis, and it produces regular reports and recommendations on infant mortality in the state.
Research
- Infant mortality surveillance
- Pregnancy-associated maternal mortality surveillance
- Analysis of Vital Statistics data to determine trends in infant mortality and risk factors for negative birth outcomes among Mississippi women
- Survey of Mississippi coroners to evaluate the SIDS diagnosis process in Mississippi
- Evaluation of the Community Health Worker program and SIDS/SUIDS educational materials to improve their effectiveness
Information Sharing
- Annual report of Mississippi infant mortality
- Pregnancy-associated mortality reporting
- Surveillance reporting and research presentations
For more information, contact:
Mississippi State Department of Health
570 East Woodrow Wilson Drive
Jackson, MS 39216-4538
MSDH Infant Mortality Surveillance
Office of Health Data and Research
601-576-7415
For more information about Maternal and Child Health Programs and the MCH Block Grant, call 1-800-721-7222.