SC reports no change in Infant Mortality Rate

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) reports that the state’s infant mortality rate remained at seven deaths per 1,000 births in 2016. This data also showed four fewer deaths in 2016 than in 2015. While recent data indicates a slight increase in infant mortality among some populations, an analysis of the agency’s data shows a 26% decrease in the overall rate in the past 20 years, from 9.46% in 1997 to 7% in 2016. This includes a decline in the infant mortality rate among minorities. There has also been a decline in the teen birth rate, one of the risk factors for poor birth outcomes. For more details on the 2016 Infant Mortality Rate, visit DHEC’s website.