Alabama Infant Mortality Rate Ticks Up, Racial Gap Persists
The Alabama Department of Public Health reported Thursday that the state's infant mortality rate rose to 7.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025, up from 7.1 in 2024, State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris told the State Committee on Public Health. Harris said the increase is not statistically significant and that Alabama's rate remains above the national average of 5.5 deaths per 1,000 live births. Of 422 infant deaths tied to 57,192 total 2024 births, the mortality rate for Black babies was 13.1 per 1,000 live births, nearly 2.5 times the rate for white babies at 5.5 per 1,000, a gap Harris called a "stubborn statistic" that has not improved. Committee member Dr. Marquisha Jarmon called for the department to work directly with Black community groups to address the disparity.