👶Alabama's infant mortality rate rose to 7.4 deaths per 1,000 births in 2025

Alabama's infant mortality rate rose to 7.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025, up from 7.1 in 2024, the Alabama Department of Public Health announced Thursday. Of the 57,192 babies born, 422 died before their first birthday. ADPH said the change from 2024 wasn't statistically significant, and the provisional U.S. rate was 5.4.

The gap by race is wide. WBMA reports 183 deaths among Black infants, a rate of 13.1, up from 11.8. For white infants the rate was 5.5, with 229 deaths.

“Lack of access to care, closure of labor and delivery services, poverty, poor nutrition and chronic disease play significant roles in the health of mothers and infants.”

• Adequate prenatal care: 75.7% of births, up from 73.9%
• No prenatal care: 2.8% of births, down from 3.1%
• Births to teens: 5.4%, a historic low
• ALL Babies: statewide coverage for eligible uninsured pregnant women

1819 News notes the rate is still below 2023's 7.8. ADPH is also offering prenatal telehealth visits at county health departments for low-risk women, through 36 weeks of pregnancy.