ST. PAUL — A new report from Minnesota health officials says babies born to black mothers are more than twice as likely to die in infancy as children born to white mothers, giving the state one of the widest infant mortality gaps in the nation.

The Department of Health report released Thursday says about 380 infants die in Minnesota each year and the leading cause of death is physical or neurological birth defects. The leading causes are different for blacks and American Indians. One quarter of African-American infant deaths were linked to prematurity. One quarter of American Indian newborn deaths were classified as sudden, or unexpected. State health commissioner, Dr. Ed Ehlinger, said that suggests a need for better education about safe sleeping positions.

Minnesota’s overall infant mortality rate is among the 10 lowest in the country.