SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The United States had 5.6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022, a 3% increase over the previous year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. While the increase may seem small, it is the first increase since 2002. 

"I just want people to realize that this is a big deal," said Dr. Doug Carlson, the Medical Director for St. John's Children's Hospital. "We were already not doing that good but 600 extra babies die last year from the year before. That is 600 families that are devastated this year."

Dr. Carlson said in comparison to other countries with similar levels of development and economic success, the U.S. is falling behind on health issues. Research like this can be a helpful guide on what areas providers need to improve on. 

"The study provides a description of some of the basic relationships between risk factors and infant mortality rates," said Danielle Ely, the co-author of this report and a health statistician at the National Center for Health Statistics. "This is really the first step in determining what is going on with infant health in our country and it can be used to identify some of the higher risk subgroups which might be used later on for prevention efforts."

Ely said experts aren't sure if this is just a blip in the data or the beginning of an increasing trend. 

Dr. Carlson said this research should be a wake-up call to providers, who can help lower mortality rates nationwide. 

"What we can do now is just to make sure that all the families in central Illinois have access to good quality, primary care and that there are decreasing disparities," said Dr. Carlson. "We do see differences in populations in central Illinois based on race, economics, and in geography. We need to work hard — all of us — to get rid of those differences, so that we all have the same outcomes, regardless of other personal situations."

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