The infant mortality rate in the US surged following the Covid vaccine rollout, according to data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Infant mortality is one of the most important indicators we have, and it has been trending down year-on-year in the US since consistent records were first kept in 1995.
However, the just-released infant mortality results from 2022 bucked this downward trend in a major way, shocking researchers and medical staff.
2022 was the first time there had been a year-on-year increase in infant mortality in the US in decades.
More than 20,500 babies under the age of 1 died in 2022, the CDC report reveals. Overall, there were 5.6 infant deaths for every 1,000 live births, a significant jump of 3% from the year before.
According to experts, any increase in infant mortality is a cause for serious concern and a sign that something is seriously awry in society.
Amanda Jean Stevenson, a demographer and assistant professor of sociology at the University of Colorado Boulder, saw the data released by the CDC and was horrified by the results.
“Infant health is one of the most important public health indicators that we have,” said Stevenson.
“The fact that [infant mortality rates] are not continuing to decrease is a very big deal. Even flat infant mortality rates are not good.”
“We need to see these numbers going down – and fast – because they are far too high.”
The CDC report revealed that the US infant mortality rate increased across all ethnic groups in 2022.
In 2022, black infants experienced the highest mortality rate, with nearly 11 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Meanwhile, the rate among American Indian and Alaska Native infants saw a very sharp increase of over 20% within a single year, rising to more than 9 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The mortality rate among white infants also increased at approximately 4.5 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The infant mortality surge started in 2022, just one year following the decision to authorize and roll out experimental Covid mRNA shots for public use.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the authorization in June 2022 for Covid mRNA shots to be administered to infants and toddlers aged 6 months to 5 years old.
