Personal Injury Law

U.S. Ranks 29th in Infant Mortality

By Jane Akre

Federal data indicating how often newborns survive, ranks the U.S. with Poland and Slovakia - 29^th in the world.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued its latest data from 2004.  And the CDC reports that the statistics have not improved much since 2000.

The U.S. infant mortality rate was 6.86 infant deaths per 1.000 live births in 2005, the last year for which data are available. Compare that to data reported from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put the number in 2000 at 6.89 deaths per 1,000 births.

28,000 U.S. infants died before their first birthday ranking the U.S. behind Cuba, the CDC reports.

That means the US is slipping further behind other developed countries, despite the fact that it spends more per capita on health care than other countries.

In 1960, it was 12^th in the world, though even more babies died.

The CDC points to an increase in the number of premature births, up nine percent during that period. Premature births and the corresponding low birth weight are the primary cause of infant mortality.

Japan ranked in third place behind Singapore and Hong Kong. Japan's infant mortality rate is 2.8 infants per thousand live births; Singapore 2.0; and Hong Kong 2.5.  Rounding out the top ten are Sweden 3.1; Norway 3.2; Finlnd 3.3; Spain 3.5; Chech Republic 3.7; France 3.9 and Portugal 4.0.

And while the numbers of premature infants is up, so is the ability to help them survive with drugs such as prenatal steroids that help a baby's lungs develop. 

An increase in the number of multiple births, twins and triplets from fertility treatment, has added to the increase in infant mortality.

The number of underweight infants has increased to its highest rate in 40 years, particularly in the southern states of Mississippi, South Carolina, and Louisiana.  The numbers come from the annual Kids Count report on America's youth.

The Healthy People goal for 2010 is for 4.5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births. The current rate is about 50 percent higher than that goal.   # 

Full post as published by InjuryBoard on October 15, 2008 (boomark / email).