Comments on: Why Does The US Appear to Have Higher Infant Mortality? http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html Dispatches from a Small Business Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:52:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tariq Mahmood http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html/comment-page-1#comment-13405 Tariq Mahmood Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:40:36 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html #comment-13405 <p>Dr. T's math is wrong, apparently we all have trouble with math at times.</p> <p>6.7 babies dying per 1000 live births is 0.67%.</p> <p>with 4.2 million births, 0.67% of that is 0.024 million deaths, or 24,000 deaths. If 6% of babies died then yes 240,000 would dying every year.</p> <p>In Afghanistan where Infant Mortality is estimated at over 15% around 240,000 babies die every year.</p> <p>It is sad really and not enough is being done by Afghanis overseas to change that.</p> Dr. T’s math is wrong, apparently we all have trouble with math at times.

6.7 babies dying per 1000 live births is 0.67%.

with 4.2 million births, 0.67% of that is 0.024 million deaths, or 24,000 deaths. If 6% of babies died then yes 240,000 would dying every year.

In Afghanistan where Infant Mortality is estimated at over 15% around 240,000 babies die every year.

It is sad really and not enough is being done by Afghanis overseas to change that.

]]> By: Methinks http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html/comment-page-1#comment-13404 Methinks Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:24:21 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html #comment-13404 <p>This is a great post. Las Friday, 20/20 did a whole show on infant mortality in Memphis - lamenting that "we have one of the highest infant mortality rates in the developed world". Spare me. The whole one hour show was designed to show that nobody cares about 12 year old black mothers who don't bother to go for pre-natal care at the free clinic and who are giving birth to four month old fetuses and we're letting them rot as if they're in a third world country. Never mind that in the third world, many of those girls wouldn't have made it to the ripe old age of 12! It was an hour of the most annoying television.</p> This is a great post. Las Friday, 20/20 did a whole show on infant mortality in Memphis – lamenting that “we have one of the highest infant mortality rates in the developed world”. Spare me. The whole one hour show was designed to show that nobody cares about 12 year old black mothers who don’t bother to go for pre-natal care at the free clinic and who are giving birth to four month old fetuses and we’re letting them rot as if they’re in a third world country. Never mind that in the third world, many of those girls wouldn’t have made it to the ripe old age of 12! It was an hour of the most annoying television.

]]> By: DKH http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html/comment-page-1#comment-13403 DKH Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:38:55 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html #comment-13403 <p>Blackadder:</p> <p>I would think that it is likely a correction. Mark Perry's blog on this subject also contains the same "500 kg" error:</p> <p>http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2008/08/infant-mortality-measurements-not.html</p> Blackadder:

I would think that it is likely a correction. Mark Perry’s blog on this subject also contains the same “500 kg” error:

http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2008/08/infant-mortality-measurements-not.html

]]> By: Mesa Econoguy http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html/comment-page-1#comment-13402 Mesa Econoguy Sat, 23 Aug 2008 08:20:35 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html #comment-13402 <p>Global warming</p> Global warming

]]> By: bristlecone http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html/comment-page-1#comment-13401 bristlecone Sat, 23 Aug 2008 03:46:13 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html #comment-13401 <p>"According to the way statistics are calculated in Canada, Germany, and Austria, a premature baby weighing less than 500 kg is not considered a living child. "</p> <p>Holy shiznit! Remind me to stay out of those countries! I only weigh 120 KG, and would probably be buried there!</p> “According to the way statistics are calculated in Canada, Germany, and Austria, a premature baby weighing less than 500 kg is not considered a living child. “

Holy shiznit! Remind me to stay out of those countries! I only weigh 120 KG, and would probably be buried there!

]]> By: Mesa Econoguy http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html/comment-page-1#comment-13400 Mesa Econoguy Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:49:42 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html #comment-13400 <p>500kg birth weight would seemingly cause a higher infant mortality rate.</p> <p>Perhaps enhanced gravity field?<br /> </p> 500kg birth weight would seemingly cause a higher infant mortality rate.

Perhaps enhanced gravity field?

]]> By: Blackadder http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html/comment-page-1#comment-13399 Blackadder Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:52:52 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html #comment-13399 <p><a href="http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/the-doctor-is-in-infant-mortality-comparisons-a-statistical-miscarriage/" rel="nofollow">Here</a> is what appears to be the original article excerpted in this blog post. As you can see, in the original "<500g" is used rather than "less than 500kg." How the two got switched up I don't know. </p> Here is what appears to be the original article excerpted in this blog post. As you can see, in the original “<500g" is used rather than "less than 500kg." How the two got switched up I don't know.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html/comment-page-1#comment-13398 Anonymous Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:26:20 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html #comment-13398 <p>Clearly, it's not 500 Kg, but 500 grams. <br /> Note that 500 grams is about 1.1 pounds. <br /> A typical baby weights 1.1 pounds at 23 weeks.<br /> At 20 weeks, a baby weights about 300 grams, or 0.66 pounds. Past 20 weeks is considered late-term.<br /> 1% of abortions happen after week 20 ("late-term" abortions). This is about 16,000 each year.</p> <p>It seems to me that in the U.S., a baby is considered viable at 20 weeks, even though its viability is slim at best. In other countries, viability seems to be considered at 23 weeks. The interesting fact though, is that those 16,000 abortions that happen after week 20 are probably counted towards the infant mortality rate in the U.S..</p> <p>In 2005, there were 4,138,349 births in this country. Assuming that the rates have not changed significantly, the mortality rate in the US is about 6.3 per 1,000 births, or about 260,000. A whopping 6% of those deaths may be attributed to late-term abortions. Of course, I am also assuming that the U.S. does not count abortions before 20 weeks as live births.</p> <p>http://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html<br /> http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0005067.html<br /> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_infant_mortality_rate</p> Clearly, it’s not 500 Kg, but 500 grams.
Note that 500 grams is about 1.1 pounds.
A typical baby weights 1.1 pounds at 23 weeks.
At 20 weeks, a baby weights about 300 grams, or 0.66 pounds. Past 20 weeks is considered late-term.
1% of abortions happen after week 20 (“late-term” abortions). This is about 16,000 each year.

It seems to me that in the U.S., a baby is considered viable at 20 weeks, even though its viability is slim at best. In other countries, viability seems to be considered at 23 weeks. The interesting fact though, is that those 16,000 abortions that happen after week 20 are probably counted towards the infant mortality rate in the U.S..

In 2005, there were 4,138,349 births in this country. Assuming that the rates have not changed significantly, the mortality rate in the US is about 6.3 per 1,000 births, or about 260,000. A whopping 6% of those deaths may be attributed to late-term abortions. Of course, I am also assuming that the U.S. does not count abortions before 20 weeks as live births.

http://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0005067.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_infant_mortality_rate

]]> By: Dr. T http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html/comment-page-1#comment-13397 Dr. T Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:17:30 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html #comment-13397 <p>The discrepancies in infant mortality reporting go back decades. I have always taught my medical students and residents to ignore the infant mortality statistics from other countries. We use the strictest possible interpretation of neonatal and infant deaths. If a markedly premature baby has a heartbeat and takes a breath before dying minutes later, that is an infant death. In almost every other country it would be classified as a miscarriage or a stillbirth.</p> <p>When you normalize the data, the U.S. still does not have the lowest infant mortality. The factors mentioned by Craig above are major reasons. Another is that we have subpopulations, mostly among our black and hispanic groups, that shun medical care, including prenatal care. This lack of prenatal care greatly increases infant mortality.</p> The discrepancies in infant mortality reporting go back decades. I have always taught my medical students and residents to ignore the infant mortality statistics from other countries. We use the strictest possible interpretation of neonatal and infant deaths. If a markedly premature baby has a heartbeat and takes a breath before dying minutes later, that is an infant death. In almost every other country it would be classified as a miscarriage or a stillbirth.

When you normalize the data, the U.S. still does not have the lowest infant mortality. The factors mentioned by Craig above are major reasons. Another is that we have subpopulations, mostly among our black and hispanic groups, that shun medical care, including prenatal care. This lack of prenatal care greatly increases infant mortality.

]]> By: Jason http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html/comment-page-1#comment-13396 Jason Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:32:38 +0000 http://coyote-blog.com/wordpress/2008/08/why-does-the-us.html #comment-13396 <p>Such misleading statistics. Oh well. </p> <p>It is great that the US has such amazing technology and goes out of its way to attempt to save those born prematurely. </p> <p>The part I find troubling is that nobody bothers to count those killed by their mothers because they were not convenient. </p> Such misleading statistics. Oh well.

It is great that the US has such amazing technology and goes out of its way to attempt to save those born prematurely.

The part I find troubling is that nobody bothers to count those killed by their mothers because they were not convenient.

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