• All News
• Consumer
• Pro
• New Drugs
• Pipeline
• Clinical Trials
• FDA Alerts

2022 Fetal Mortality Reached Historic Low of 5.48 Per 1,000

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Sep 12, 2024.

THURSDAY, Sept. 12, 2024 -- The fetal mortality rate in the United States in 2022 was 5.48 fetal deaths at 20 weeks of gestation or more per 1,000 live births and fetal deaths, which marked a historic low, according to the Sept. 12 National Vital Statistics Reports, a publication from the National Center for Health Statistics.

Elizabeth C.W. Gregory, M.P.H., from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, and colleagues presented 2022 fetal mortality data by maternal race and Hispanic origin, age, tobacco use during pregnancy, and state of residence.

The researchers found that in the United States, 20,202 fetal deaths at 20 weeks of gestation or more were reported in 2022, for a fetal mortality rate of 5.48 fetal deaths per 1,000 live births and fetal deaths. This was 4 percent lower than the rate of 5.73 in 2021 and marked a new historic low for the United States. For deaths occurring at 20 to 27 weeks of gestation, the fetal mortality rate in 2022 was 2.79, which was 5 percent lower than 2.95 in 2021. The rate in 2022 was 2.71 for deaths occurring at 28 weeks of gestation or more, which marked a 3 percent decline from 2.80 in 2021. The fetal mortality rate in 2022 was highest for Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander non-Hispanic and Black non-Hispanic females (10.36 and 10.05, respectively) and lowest for Asian non-Hispanic females (3.70).

"Fetal mortality rates were highest for women ages 40 and older, for women who smoked during pregnancy, and for women with multiple gestation pregnancies," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted September 2024

More news resources

• FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
• Daily MedNews
• News for Health Professionals
• New Drug Approvals
• New Drug Applications
• Drug Shortages
• Clinical Trial Results
• Generic Drug Approvals

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.