CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) released a new report on infant mortality that shows the statewide rate decreased to 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021, the most recent full year of data, compared to 6.5 per 1,000 in 2018. However, the report released during Infant Mortality Awareness Month also documents the historic racial disparities that have persisted nationally in the area of infant health. Governor JB Pritzker has made it a priority to address these disparities and included more than $23 million in the current state budget to improve birth outcomes.
The Illinois infant mortality rate of 5.6 is slightly above the national rate of 5.4. The state has signed on to the national Healthy People 2030 framework established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which sets a goal for all states to reach a rate of 5.0 or lower by the year 2030.
“The health of a newborn baby during their first year of life is a critical indicator of the overall health of our society,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “As a pediatrician, I was witness to far too many preventable tragedies and saw firsthand the important role that community, health, and social supports play in helping both caregivers and young children thrive. While this report points to progress in reducing the infant mortality rate, it also highlights that despite significant public health efforts, unacceptable racial and ethnic disparities persist. Maternal and Infant health is one of the five priority areas of the Healthy Illinois 2028 State Health Improvement Plan, and IDPH, along with our partners, will continue to focus on the recommended strategies and key resources to improve health outcomes for pregnant people and their newborn infants.”
Infant mortality is defined as the death of an infant before their first birthday. The report covers 2021, in which there were a total 132,228 live birth and 743 infant deaths recorded in Illinois. It offers a comprehensive analysis of infant mortality trends and identifies areas where public health interventions can have the greatest impact. Among the key findings are the following:
- The leading causes of infant death in Illinois are effects of prematurity and fetal malnutrition, birth defects, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), and pregnancy/ delivery complications. These conditions account for almost 70% of infant deaths.
- In Illinois, the infant mortality rate among infants born to non-Hispanic Black women is nearly three times that of infants born to White, Hispanic, and Asian women.
- If the fetal and infant mortality rate among infants born to non-Hispanic Black women was reduced to rates among infants born to low-risk White women, 204 Black fetal and infant deaths would be prevented each year.
- The Black-White inequity in infant mortality is heavily influenced by trends in deaths due to prematurity and SUID. In 2021, non-Hispanic Black infants were more than four times as likely to die of SUID than non-Hispanic White and Hispanic infants.
The report prepared by IDPH’s Office of Women’s Health and Family Services was supported by funding from the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant and general revenue funding for maternal and child health.
The COVID-19 pandemic and its recovery did not appear to have a substantial impact on the overall trend of infant mortality, nor any major cause of infant mortality such as prematurity and fetal malnutrition. From 2020 to 2022, COVID-19 was a factor in 10 infant deaths in Illinois, the majority occurring in 2022, based on provisional data for 2022.
Improving infant and maternal health is one of the five key priorities laid out in IDPH’s State Health Improvement Plan, detailed in the Healthy Illinois 2028 Plan. Released at the beginning of this year, the five-year plan calls for the promotion of a comprehensive, cohesive, and equitable system of care and support services for pregnant Illinoisans throughout the birthing process and for newborns and the first year of infants’ lives.
IDPH and its partners remain committed to addressing infant mortality in Illinois through a comprehensive and evidence-based approach including:
- Support for birthing hospitals with a regionalized perinatal system to improve birth outcomes through training, technical support, and risk-appropriate care.
- The creation of a statewide strategic plan and distribution of Birth Equity Resource Building Grants to support the needs of community-based reproductive healthcare providers funded by $4 million in the current state budget.
- Ongoing data surveillance and collection, including fetal and infant mortality reviews, and a more comprehensive coroner’s and medical examiner’s reporting system to identify underlying causes of infant mortality and inform community-based interventions and policies.
- Home visiting and case management programs to support pregnant and postpartum women and infants to improve birth outcomes.
- Continued support for community-based, culturally accessible safe infant sleep programs, including Illinois Safe Sleep Support.
The Governor’s Birth Equity Initiative invested approximately $23 million to address the historic racial disparities in birth outcomes through a variety of measures, including the creation of a statewide strategic plan. This includes closing the maternal mortality gap through home visiting expansion, capital dollars for community-birth centers, a diaper pilot program, changes to Medicaid reimbursement rates, and a child tax credit for families in poverty.
Additional information about infant mortality in Illinois can be found on IDPH’s website.