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RSS icon Comments on U.S.: Second Deadliest Place in World for Infants

1

I wish Latvia were ahead of us.

Posted by Mr. Poe | November 12, 2007 8:23 AM
2

This can't be correct. We're #1 in everything. EVERYTHING.

Posted by Michigan Matt | November 12, 2007 8:35 AM
3

Wasn't Latvia the made-up Marvel comics kingdom ruled with an iron fist by Dr. Doom?

Posted by Peter | November 12, 2007 8:36 AM
4

I read the article, but I still don't really understand why the U.S. is so much worse off than other industrial nations.

Posted by Greg | November 12, 2007 8:40 AM
5

Greg, I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that we are the ONLY industrialized nation with NO national health coverage.

Thank Jebus, Bush just vetoed SCHIP. You know, to keep us from anything that even resembles a communist health plan. Bad, bad, bad.

Posted by SDA in SEA | November 12, 2007 8:52 AM
6

GOOD!! Finally, if out infants die then our commute will FINALLY start to get better in a few years!!

Posted by Just Me | November 12, 2007 8:52 AM
7

less people = good

Posted by dirty girl | November 12, 2007 8:57 AM
8

This is just what the terrorists wanted, we are going to have to spend more money on weapons. If we don't get more munitions and starting tapping the phones, this is just going to get worse. They hate our freedoms.

Posted by left coast | November 12, 2007 8:59 AM
9

We need to solve this problem as soon as possible, before I start collecting social security, and we should continue to have lots of infants/workers until I die and no longer need my social security. After that date, you may continue to off the kiddies.

Posted by Big_K | November 12, 2007 9:08 AM
10

I hate babies.

Posted by Amelia | November 12, 2007 9:11 AM
11

if so many murkins weren't dumb as rocks their babies wouldn't die - christian scientists, high school dropouts, teenage moms, dirtball dads, tweakers, & crackheads are pumping the kids out while the college educated elite are waiting till they're 40 to have 1.

this is an education issue as much as access to health care.

Posted by max solomon | November 12, 2007 9:25 AM
12

Wonder how the anti-abortionists will react to this news? Seems their energy goes towards the wrong things ... how about SAVE THE LIVING?!

Posted by D.C. Dude | November 12, 2007 9:51 AM
13

It's actually misleading. The US has a higher infant mortality than much of the Western world mainly because severely premature babies are not counted as infants in most developed countries other than the US ( doctors here save a good many of them, but when they can't save a 24 week preemie, it's counted as an infant death). Additionally, other disorders that cause many babies to die in utero in other nations are treated in the US successfully, but the failures here drive up the mortality rate.

Latvia sucks much worse than the US, Don't be fooled.

Posted by deltron | November 12, 2007 9:57 AM
14

@13,

Why let a little thing like selectively interpreted/reported statistics ruin a good round of hysterical handwringing?

Posted by Peter | November 12, 2007 10:13 AM
15


@ 13 Source please!

Posted by K X One | November 12, 2007 10:21 AM
16

Here's the actual CDC report in question - still reading to see if what @13 says is true:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_03.pdf

Posted by Peter | November 12, 2007 10:34 AM
17

I agree with maxsolomon, but I'll add that other First World countries have significantly better public education and public services. Those tweakers and crackheads have better access to treatment programs and welfare. I'll also bet that child services are better funded -- the better to take babies away from incorrigible drug addicts.

Posted by keshmeshi | November 12, 2007 10:49 AM
18

UTTERLY disgraceful.

And some of these posters should have died as small children for what they contribute.

Education problems are directly linked to no national universal health care.

The rest of the world speaks scorn of the mighty America when these stats are made public. "Why do you settle for so little", they rightfully ask.

Posted by Raphael | November 12, 2007 11:00 AM
19

A lot has to do with how pregnancy and childbirth are treated in this country too. The lack of insurance coverage for midwifery, no emphasis on or support for proper nutrition in pregnancy, and horrifying rates of medical intervention in birth are all dangerous to mothers and infants.

Posted by StotheL | November 12, 2007 11:09 AM
20

@18:

Can you expound on this sentence? "Education problems are directly linked to no national universal health care."

How do you figure?

Posted by max solomon | November 12, 2007 11:13 AM
21

Infant death rate in MN is 4.8, in Mississippi is 9.6.

http://www.unitedhealthfoundation.com/shr2005/components/infantmortality.html

Fuck the Red States!

Posted by Big Sven | November 12, 2007 1:58 PM

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