Abstract
Objectives—This report presents infant mortality rates for
selected maternal characteristics (prepregnancy body mass
index, cigarette smoking during pregnancy, receipt of Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
Children (WIC) benefits during pregnancy, timing of prenatal
care, and source of payment for delivery) for the five largest
maternal race and Hispanic-origin groups in the United States
for combined years 2019–2021.
Methods—Descriptive tabulations based on data from the
linked birth/infant death files for 2019–2021 are presented.
The linked birth/infant death file is based on birth and death
certificates registered in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Infant mortality rates are presented for each maternal race and
Hispanic-origin group overall and by selected characteristics.
Results—Infant mortality rates varied across the five largest
maternal race and Hispanic-origin groups and by selected
maternal characteristics. For most race and Hispanic-origin
groups, mortality rates were higher among infants of women
with prepregnancy obesity compared with those of women who
were normal weight, and were higher for infants of women who
smoked cigarettes during pregnancy, received late or no prenatal
care, or were covered by Medicaid as the source of payment
for delivery. Overall, mortality rates were higher for infants of
women who received WIC during pregnancy, but results varied
across race and Hispanic-origin groups. Mortality rates for the
maternal characteristics examined were generally highest among
infants of Black non-Hispanic and American Indian and Alaska
Native non-Hispanic women and lowest for Asian non-Hispanic
women