The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed that the infant mortality rate in the U.S. dropped 12 percent between 2005 and 2011. The new numbers come as part of the National Center for Health Data's most current data brief.

The 12 percent fall is a sudden drop, as infant mortality stayed relatively static in the five years before that point. The greatest decline was amongst black mothers, who saw a 16 percent decrease as a sub group.

Marian F. MacDorman, a senior statistician at the National Center for Health Statistics, noted that gap in mortality rate between black and white mothers is decreasing, but still large.

"We are seeing a slight narrowing in the gap, and that's very encouraging. But the gap is still really big," she said.

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