Sudden Infant Deaths Have Increased Among Black babies, New Data Show

Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) rates have increased among Black infants since 2020, widening a persistent racial disparity in infant mortality. A study of nearly 58 million U.S. live births found the infant mortality gap between Black and White babies rose from 6.0 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2019 to 6.4 in 2024, with SUID driving the increase.

Preterm birth was more common among Black mothers (16.9% vs. 10.5%) and remained the leading contributor to the mortality gap, but researchers said it did not explain the rising SUID rates.

The increase began during the COVID-19 pandemic, with causes still unclear. Read the full article from CIDRAP here.