Article (http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/parenting/05/08/mothers.index/index.html)

This article IRKS ME! The statistics are manipulated as well as doing it per 1000 live births doesn't mean much if your countries don't all use the same statistical methods to calculate what constitutes newborn death. Additionally the US has seen a decrease from 20 per 1000 in 1970 to 5 per 1000 currently. Yet everything is skewed to make it look like we kill our newborns. Which is far from the truth. *sigh*

Yes we have our issues but they are trying to be addressed.

http://www.hhs.gov/news/factsheet/infant.html

Article (http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/parenting/05/08/mothers.index/index.html)

This article IRKS ME! The statistics are manipulated as well as doing it per 1000 live births doesn't mean much if your countries don't all use the same statistical methods to calculate what constitutes newborn death. Additionally the US has seen a decrease from 20 per 1000 in 1970 to 5 per 1000 currently. Yet everything is skewed to make it look like we kill our newborns. Which is far from the truth. *sigh*

Yes we have our issues but they are trying to be addressed.

http://www.hhs.gov/news/factsheet/infant.html

I've always loved the press. They just want to sell, not report facts. Oh well...


Wook

"American babies are three times more likely to die in their first month as children born in Japan, and newborn mortality is 2.5 times higher in the United States than in Finland, Iceland or Norway, Save the Children researchers found." Save the Children as repoted by CNN

It's not the press but the reality that's ugly.

"American babies are three times more likely to die in their first month as children born in Japan, and newborn mortality is 2.5 times higher in the United States than in Finland, Iceland or Norway, Save the Children researchers found." Save the Children as repoted by CNN

It's not the press but the reality that's ugly.
Dont believe everything you read.

These stats also need to address births for people with little or no prenatal care. FWIW these people bring the problems on themselves.

These stats also need to address births for people with little or no prenatal care. . .

That's sort of the point. Some health care systems provide offer prenatal care to all of their little citizens to be. Some ration it based on their parents ability to pay.

It's not the press but the reality that's ugly.

Actually, the information given by the press is not the whole story. As the OP mentioned, "countries don't all use the same statistical methods to calculate what constitutes newborn death. Additionally the US has seen a decrease from 20 per 1000 in 1970 to 5 per 1000 currently. Yet everything is skewed to make it look like we kill our newborns". So, the information by the press was given to simply sell a story instead of presenting the factual information.


Wook

Yep, some countries unlike the US doesn't count the first 24 hours, or even the first week. Some don't keep records at all.

"Lies, damn lies and statistics." - Mark Twain.

The man was a genius from the start.

This article is a little old but significantly, Japan's 1991 rate was well below our current rate.

Infant death is kind of a straight forward thing to measure. While some countries may manipulate the numbers that's not the underlying issue. Even the US government document that the OP linked to sates that US infant mortality is several fold more than Japan.

Does anyone actually know if Japan, Norway or Iceland calculates infant morality in a creative way?

Save the Children is a well respect institution. It is unlikely that they would make such an obvious error.

J Nurse Midwifery. 1993 Nov-Dec;38(6):353-7. Related Articles, Links


An analysis of the reasons for Japan's low infant mortality rate.

Leppert PC.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester General Hospital Division, NY 14621.

Japan's infant mortality rate in 1991 was four per 1,000, the lowest in the world. Contributing factors are the universal use of the Boshi Kenko Techo (maternal-child health handbook) and universal access to care. Most births occur to women aged 25-29 years and there are few unmarried mothers. Ninety-nine and seven-tenths percent of births are attended by qualified professionals either in hospitals or private clinics, with an average stay of one week postpartum. Abortion is available when contraceptives fail. There are government subsidies for medical, obstetric, and pediatric complications. Japanese citizens are highly literate and seek out medical advice, and their society is organized to support children. Efficient systems of community support, public health education, and excellent medical care encompass events from conception to school age.

I honestly wonder if our seemingly higher overall neonatal death rate isn't at least partially due to the fact that we try to save so many 24 weekers. Also, many women now use fertility drugs and end up pregnant with multiples. Those are higher risk. I'm actually most concerned about the racial disparity in neonatal survival rates. What does that say about our country and our health care system?

I honestly wonder if our seemingly higher overall neonatal death rate isn't at least partially due to the fact that we try to save so many 24 weekers. Also, many women now use fertility drugs and end up pregnant with multiples. Those are higher risk. I'm actually most concerned about the racial disparity in neonatal survival rates. What does that say about our country and our health care system?
See the avg age of 1st pregnancy.. Some group are notorious for getting pregnant at a young age and getting no prenatal care and basically carrying on (aka partying) like they arent pregnant at all.

You cant compare us to japan unless you are gonna compare apples to apples.

If you get proper prenatal care you and your baby will live in this country.

Not getting some prenatal care comes down to caring or not caring.

I honestly wonder if our seemingly higher overall neonatal death rate isn't at least partially due to the fact that we try to save so many 24 weekers. Also, many women now use fertility drugs and end up pregnant with multiples. Those are higher risk. I'm actually most concerned about the racial disparity in neonatal survival rates. What does that say about our country and our health care system?


DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!

There are obviously multiple factors that are/aren't included in this study that make it look much worse than what is mentioned.

We try to save babies that would otherwise die in utero. We are able to try things in our country that many places are unable to attempt. Not to mention all of the cultural factors that cannot be added into the study.

There is no way you can adequately compare these numbers. The only reason this got out is because the news media are dumber than a collection of dried monkey turds playing football with a baseball bat (yeah, that's pretty f'ing dumb). They couldn't tell their *******s from their elbows when it comes to health care. What pisses me off the most is that it creates a stir amongst our patients and others in this country who don't know any better.

DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!

There are obviously multiple factors that are/aren't included in this study that make it look much worse than what is mentioned.

We try to save babies that would otherwise die in utero. We are able to try things in our country that many places are unable to attempt. Not to mention all of the cultural factors that cannot be added into the study.

There is no way you can adequately compare these numbers. The only reason this got out is because the news media are dumber than a collection of dried monkey turds playing football with a baseball bat (yeah, that's pretty f'ing dumb). They couldn't tell their *******s from their elbows when it comes to health care. What pisses me off the most is that it creates a stir amongst our patients and others in this country who don't know any better.

Agreed, especially the last paragraph.

Wook

"American babies are three times more likely to die in their first month as children born in Japan, and newborn mortality is 2.5 times higher in the United States than in Finland, Iceland or Norway, Save the Children researchers found." Save the Children as repoted by CNN

It's not the press but the reality that's ugly.

duh, the press said it, so it must be true.