Four Midwestern states have infant mortality rates “significantly higher” than the U.S. average, a new report from the Centers for Disease Control says.

Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio were among the states cited for rates higher than the national average – 5.79 per 1,000 live births. The report was based on 2017 data.

Eleven states had significantly lower mortality rates; Minnesota was the only Midwestern state among them.

Babies born to black women had the highest mortality rate, with nearly 11 deaths per 1,000 births.

The CDC said infant mortality rates have been trending downward for more than 20 years. Still, more than 22,000 infant deaths were reported in 2017. The main causes included congenital malformations, low birth weight and maternal complications.

Indiana

In Indiana, more than seven out of every 1,000 infants die. Nationally this number is less than 6 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Black women have the highest infant mortality rates both nationally and in Indiana. Here, that rate is 15 deaths per 1,000 live births — more than double the rate of white women, according to state data.

The CDC report was based on 2017 data.

This story was produced by Side Effects Public Media, a news collaborative covering public health.