Alabama Infant Mortality Improved in 2024—but Racial Disparities Persist
Alabama’s infant mortality rate improved in 2024, but the latest state data reveals a persistent and troubling divide in outcomes for Black and white infants.
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, Alabama recorded 7.1 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024, down from 7.8 in 2023. The decrease represents meaningful progress, but Alabama’s rate remained higher than the provisional national rate of 5.5 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Behind the statewide number are 414 infants who died before reaching their first birthday—and a racial disparity that remains impossible to overlook.
Black Infants in Alabama Remain More Than Twice as Likely to Die
In 2024, Alabama’s infant mortality rates were:
11.8 deaths per 1,000 live births among Black infants
5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births among white infants
Both rates decreased from 2023. However, Black infants in Alabama remained more than twice as likely as white infants to die before their first birthday.
This disparity is not unique to Alabama, but the gap within the state is particularly significant. Infant mortality is widely viewed as an important measure of maternal health, access to care and the overall health of a community.
The numbers show improvement. They also show that improvement has not been experienced equally.
What Were the Leading Causes of Infant Death in Alabama?
The three leading causes accounted for 42.5% of Alabama infant deaths in 2024:
Congenital malformations, deformations and abnormalities: 21.5%
Conditions related to premature birth and low birth weight: 15.9%
Bacterial sepsis in newborns: 5.1%
Not every birth defect, premature delivery, infection or infant death is preventable. Many occur despite timely and appropriate medical care, and infant mortality statistics alone cannot tell us whether negligence contributed to a particular outcome.
The data can, however, help identify recurring risks and areas where earlier intervention, improved access and stronger systems of care may save lives.
Access to Prenatal Care Remains a Concern
The 2024 report includes several statistics that help place Alabama’s infant mortality rate in context.
The percentage of births involving adequate prenatal care declined from 74.7% in 2023 to 73.9% in 2024. The percentage of mothers receiving no prenatal care increased from 2.6% to 3.1%.
Insurance data also reveals a disparity. Medicaid covered 42% of births in Alabama but was associated with 55% of infant deaths. By comparison, private insurance covered 51% of births and was associated with 35% of infant deaths.
Those figures do not establish that insurance status caused an infant’s death. They do suggest that access to resources, the timing and continuity of care, underlying health conditions and broader social circumstances remain deeply connected to birth outcomes.
ADPH identifies poverty, education, housing, nutrition, geography and access to healthcare among the factors affecting infant mortality. Rural families may face additional barriers, including long travel distances, limited access to obstetric care and fewer hospitals equipped to manage high-risk pregnancies and medically fragile newborns.
The Role of Maternal Health and Premature Birth
A mother’s health before and during pregnancy can significantly affect her baby’s outcome. Conditions such as hypertension and diabetes are associated with an increased risk of premature birth.
In Alabama, 12.7% of babies were born prematurely in 2024, while 10.2% were born at a low birth weight. Premature and low-birth-weight infants can face heightened risks involving breathing, infection, feeding, neurological development and other serious complications.
These pregnancies often require careful monitoring, appropriate referrals and timely responses when complications arise. The right care must also be available at the right place and time, particularly when a mother or infant requires a higher level of specialized treatment.
When Does an Adverse Outcome Raise Questions About Medical Care?
Infant mortality data describes outcomes across an entire population. It does not determine whether medical malpractice occurred in an individual case.
Medical negligence may be a concern when a healthcare provider fails to meet the applicable standard of care and that failure causes or contributes to an injury or death. Depending on the circumstances, questions may arise about whether providers:
Recognized and responded appropriately to fetal distress
Diagnosed and treated a maternal infection or serious health condition
Timely ordered an emergency Cesarean delivery
Properly monitored a premature or medically fragile newborn
Recognized and treated neonatal sepsis
Transferred a mother or infant to an appropriate level of care
Adequately communicated critical test results or warning signs
A devastating outcome does not automatically mean malpractice occurred.
Determining what happened generally requires a careful review of prenatal records, fetal monitoring strips, labor and delivery records, newborn charts, imaging, laboratory results and other medical evidence.
Progress Should Not Obscure the Work That Remains
Alabama’s declining infant mortality rate is encouraging. Fewer infant deaths should be recognized as progress.
But a statewide rate above the national average—and an infant mortality rate among Black babies that remains more than twice the rate among white babies—shows that significant work remains.
Improving outcomes will require more than a single intervention. It will require access to prenatal and specialized care, attention to maternal health, evidence-based medical practices and accountability when preventable failures cause harm.
Questions About the Medical Care Your Family Received?
If your child suffered a serious birth injury or your family experienced the loss of an infant and you have questions about the care provided, Southern Med Law can help you understand your options.
Our attorneys combine legal experience with medical insight to examine complex medical records and determine whether the evidence supports a potential medical malpractice claim.
Contact Southern Med Law at 205-564-2741 or visit SouthernMedLaw.com to request a consultation.
Attorney Advertising. No claim of superiority is made. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
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