Black babies in Oklahoma are twice as likely to die before their first birthday than white or Hispanic infants, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control.
As StateImpact Oklahoma reports,Oklahoma holds one of the worst records in the United States when it comes to African-American infant mortality rates. In Oklahoma, the infant mortality rate for black babies is 13 infants per 1,000 live births—a stunningly high number. By contrast, white and Hispanic babies die at a rate of between six and seven infants per 1,000 births.
The infant mortality rate in Oklahoma has been steadily increasing since 2015. It remains well above the national average of 5.8 deaths per thousand births.
Massachusetts has the lowest rate in the country, at 4.2. Mississippi has the highest, at just over nine deaths per thousand live births.