DHS Releases New Reports on Infant Deaths in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) released two new reports on birth outcomes that continue to shed light on how to reduce and address significant disparities in infant deaths across Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Perinatal Periods of Risk reports analyze the factors that contribute to inequalities in fetal and infant mortality. Data from the DHS Maternal and Infant Mortality Prevention Unit show Wisconsin’s overall infant mortality rate, which represents the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births, was 5.7 for 2019-2021. However, the data continue to show troubling disparities, with Black infants three times more likely to die before their first birthdays than White infants. During those same years, the infant mortality rate for American Indian or Alaska Native infants was 1.5 times the rate for White infants.