According to the data, 5.36 infants per 1,000 live births died, down from 5.54 in 2024 and 5.63 in 2023. The results are based on death and birth certificates.

Infants is defined as children who have not yet reached their first birthday.

According to researchers, the decline is statistically meaningful and translates into hundreds of fewer infant deaths per year.

"This is an encouraging data point, and we hope that this trend will continue," said Dr. Michael Warren, chief medical and health officer for the March of Dimes.

Warren said it was difficult to pinpoint what was driving the decline.

As the Epoch Times notes further, the overall numbers have been going down. U.S. infant deaths fell to about 19,350 last year, according to provisional CDC data that may rise a little as additional analysis is completed. The final tally is still expected to be down from about 20,050 in 2024 and about 20,160 in 2023, according to the agency.

Leading causes of infant mortality are birth defects, preterm birth and low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, unintentional injuries such as car accidents, and pregnancy complications, the CDC says.

The new data is not yet available by state. In 2024, infant mortality rates varied widely across states.

The CDC said this week in a report analyzing infant mortality data from 2024 that Mississippi had the highest infant mortality rate at 9.65 deaths per 1,000 births, and New Hampshire had the lowest, at just under 3 per 1,000.

"These differences are reflective of a variety of reasons related to access to care, community factors, and policies that improve health and outcomes," Warren said.

Not The Lowest

Worldwide, the infant mortality rate is 28 per 1,000 live births, according to the World Bank. The new U.S. rate is well below the average across countries.

A number of developed countries, though, boast lower rates, including Australia, Belgium, and Hungary.