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Mississippi remains deadliest state for babies

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Mississippi remains deadliest state for babies, CDC data shows

Mississippi babies are likelier to die before their first birthday than infants anywhere else in the country, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday.

The state had an infant mortality rate of 8.12 per 1,000 live births, well above the national average of 5.42 in 2020, the most recent year for which the national data is available. Louisiana, second from the bottom, saw 7.59 deaths for every 1,000 live births. 

Mississippi has had the country’s highest infant mortality rate for years. In 2019, the state topped the list with a rate of 8.71.

Black babies are twice as likely to die as their white counterparts in Mississippi. In 2020, the infant mortality rate among white infants was 5.7, compared to 11.8 among Back infants, according to health department figures. In 2019, 322 babies died before their first birthday in the state. Nearly 60%, or 185, were Black, though Black infants accounted for just 43% of births. 

Nationally, the leading cause of infant mortality is birth defects. But in Mississippi, premature birth and pregnancy or delivery complications as well as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are the leading causes. Mississippi has the country’s highest rate of premature birth, which is linked to chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes among mothers. 

The infant mortality rate is one of the many health indicators in which Mississippi “is not just 50th” but “50th by a mile,” as state health officer Dr. Daniel Edney put it during the first hearing held by the Senate Study Group on Women, Children and Families on Tuesday. 

The group, which was created by Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, heard speaker after speaker indicate that the state is not prepared for the additional high-risk pregnancies that will occur in the wake of Mississippi’s abortion ban.

The health department estimates the state will see an additional 5,000 births every year. 

The Senate commission hearing, chaired by Sen. Nicole Boyd, R-Oxford, made clear that extending postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months will be a priority for the Senate in the next session. But the legislation likely faces an uphill battle in the House, where Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, killed the measure last year, claiming it would expand Medicaid– though it would not make more people eligible for the program. 

And while experts say extending Medicaid coverage after birth would help reduce maternal mortality and improve infant health as well, it would not help ensure women are healthy when they become pregnant. The Senate commission heard data indicating that one in six women of childbearing age are uninsured, making it hard for them to get care to manage conditions like hypertension that increase the risk of poor birth outcomes. 

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: December 20-22

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-12-20 12:03:00

SUMMARY: This weekend (December 20-22), Mississippi offers a variety of festive events. In Jackson, enjoy Food Truck Friday, candlelight concerts, a Grinch movie screening, and Journey to the North Pole. In Ridgeland, experience Merry Bingo, Christmas on the Green, and Fleet Feet Coffee Run. Vicksburg hosts Rock the Halls, while Natchez offers a European Christmas Shopping Village. Other activities include Santa scuba diving at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, and Magic of Lights in Brandon. Hattiesburg features Lights of the Wild and Teddy Bear Tea with Santa. Numerous holiday events are available across the state.

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Mississippi News

Attorneys seek protective order in Jackson bribery case

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-12-19 14:36:00

SUMMARY: Prosecutors in Jackson are seeking a protective order to prevent the release of sensitive information in a bribery case involving Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba, and City Councilman Aaron Banks. The motion aims to protect personal, financial, and grand jury information, fearing it could impair investigations and fair trial rights. The three officials face charges related to a bribery scheme involving $80,000 in bribes for approving a real estate development project. Other individuals, including former City Councilwoman Angelique Lee and Sherik Marve Smith, are also implicated, with Smith pleading guilty to conspiracy.

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Suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggles, shouts while entering courthouse

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www.wjtv.com – MICHAEL R. SISAK and MARK SCOLFORO, Associated Press – 2024-12-10 14:27:00

SUMMARY: Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, was arrested in Pennsylvania and charged with the murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Mangione, who expressed disdain for corporate greed and the health insurance industry, was found with a gun matching the murder weapon and fraudulent IDs. He initially gave false identification but was recognized at a McDonald’s. Mangione, who wrote a three-page document expressing anti-corporate sentiments, is being extradited to New York. His family, shocked by his arrest, expressed condolences to Thompson’s family. Mangione had no prior criminal complaints but had a history of severe back pain.

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