JACKSON, Miss. – The 2006 Infant Mortality Statistics, released today by the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), show no significant progress in the effort to curb the number of infant deaths.

While the total infant death rate per 1,000 live births is slightly lower than last year, the overall numbers show no noteworthy decrease. The infant death rate for 2006 is 10.5, meaning that out of every 1,000 live births, between 10 and 11 infants died. The infant death rate for 2005 was 11.4. For Whites, the rate for 2006 is 6.9, up slightly from 6.6 in 2005. For non-Whites, the 2006 rate is 14.4, down from 17.0 in 2005.

The total number of infant deaths for 2006 is 483 compared with 481 in 2005. For Whites, the total number for 2006 is 168 compared with 153 in 2005. For non-Whites, the total number is 315 for 2006 compared with 328 in 2005.

"Infant mortality is the number one health indicator nationwide," said Interim State Health Officer Dr. Ed Thompson. "These numbers show that Mississippi is no longer making any appreciable progress in combating infant mortality.  While the State Department of Health provides care for only a small percentage of these prenatal cases, it is imperative that we educate our Mississippi residents – especially our policymakers – of our continued high infant mortality rates."

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