Infant mortality dropping in the US
October 16, 2008 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Women's Health
The infant mortality in the United States has been a source of embarrassment for many. It has often been quoted as one of the highest infant mortality rates in the developed world. Now, according to the New York Times’ article, Infant Deaths Drop in U.S., but Rate Is Still High, "In 1960, the United States ranked 12th lowest in the world, but by 2004, the latest year for which comparisons were issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that ranking had dropped to 29th lowest."
Many factors come in to play when it comes to infant mortality. Poor, or non-existent, prenatal care adds to the risk of infant mortality, for example, as is low-birth weight and premature birth.
A lot still needs to be done to work on this still high number, but it is encouraging.
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Tags: pregnancy blog, infant mortality, premature birth, prenatal care, infant death
