Health Department celebrates historic decrease in infant mortality rate

Provisional data from the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) show the 2024 infant mortality rate (IMR) in Indiana is 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births, a decrease from 6.6 in 2023. If this IMR remains the same when finalized, it would be the lowest rate of infant deaths in Indiana since 1900. The previous lowest rate for infant mortality was 6.5 deaths per 1,000 births in 2019. 

”With Indiana’s infant mortality rate at its lowest in over a century, we see the real impact of everyone who is focused on protecting our most vulnerable Hoosiers,” said Gov. Mike Braun. “We are committed to ensuring that even more babies have a healthy start and a strong future.” 

Infant mortality is the death of a child before his or her first birthday and is measured by the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births. Several factors contribute to infant mortality, many of which are directly tied to the health of the mother. Conditions such as maternal stress, obesity, smoking during pregnancy, and delayed prenatal care can increase the risk of poor health outcomes.  

IDOH is releasing the provisional 2024 data to increase transparency and access so it can be used to improve efficiency by helping communities and organizations make timely and well-informed healthcare decisions. 

“We are ecstatic that more Hoosier babies are celebrating their first birthdays,” said State Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver, MD, FACEP. “Seeing these efforts pay off is something to celebrate, and we are grateful to clinicians, healthcare centers and affiliates, local health departments and all our other partners for their collective efforts.”  

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) has set the Healthy People 2030 goal of a nationwide infant mortality rate of 5.0 deaths per 1,000 births. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most current rate of infant mortality in the United States was 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023.  

“The critical work to further reduce infant mortality continues,” Dr. Weaver said. “The Indiana Department of Health is committed to our role to decrease the number of infant deaths in Indiana and give the next generation of Hoosiers the best possible start.”  

A more in-depth analysis of this preliminary data will be available in the coming months as the data is finalized.

IDOH has multiple initiatives focused on improving infant mortality including: 

• Reviewing data to ensure that moms and babies have the opportunities to receive care at the best facility to meet their risk factors prior to delivery 

• Checking hospital discharge data to identify specific opportunities for improvement in maternal and neonatal care practices 

• Working with a number of community-based programs through Health First Indiana 

• Supporting services, including home visiting, breastfeeding programs, and infant safe sleep education 

• Conducting comprehensive reviews of fetal and infant deaths to identify opportunities for interventions  

• Partnering with birthing facilities to be prepared for potentially challenging health outcomes (through Levels of Care)

Find more information about programs and resources available to families on the IDOH Division of Maternal and Child Health website at this link.  

Visit the Indiana Department of Health at www.health.in.gov for important health and safety information or follow us on X at @StateHealthIN and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StateHealthIN.