U.S. leads industrialized world in newborn deaths

This baby was born with rubella, which was an epidemic disease before the widespread use of rubella vaccine. Children born into poor families have low immunization rates and high mortality rates, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. /Immunization Action Coalition image

The first day of life is a struggle with death for hundreds of thousands of the 4.3 million children born each year in the United States. In a report released this week, Save the Children ranks the United States last in the industrialized world in newborn survival.

The following excerpt from the State of the World's Mothers report is a powerful indictment against income inequality and lack of universal health care in the United States:

"In the industrialized world, the United States has by far the most first-day deaths. Only 1 percent of the world's newborn deaths occur in industrialized countries, but the newborn period is still the riskiest time, no matter where a baby is born, with the first day being the riskies time of all in most, if not all, countries. The United States has the highest first-day death rate in the industrialized world. An estimated 11,300 newborn babies die each year in the United States on the day they are born. This is 50 percent more first-day deaths than all other industrialized countries combined. When first-day deaths in the United States are compared to those in the 27 countries making up the European Union, the findings show that European Union countries, taken together, have 1 million more births each year (4.3 million U.S. babies vs. 5.3 million E.U. babies), but only about half as many first-day deaths as the United States (11,300 in the United States vs. 5,800 in E.U. member countries). ...

"Current data do not allow for analysis of first-day death rates among disadvantaged groups in wealthy countries, but newborn and infant mortality are often higher among the poor and racial/ethnic minorities, and populations with high newborn mortality rates also tend to have high first-day death rates. Poor and minority groups also suffer higher burdens of prematurity and low birthweight, which likely lead to first-day deaths in the United States and elsewhere."

The American Academy of Pediatrics held a conference this week on poverty and child health in the United States. According to the pediatrician group:

"Children are the poorest segment of society: 22 percent of U.S. children live below the federal poverty level, a prevalence that has persisted since the 1970s. The effects of poverty on children's health and well-being are well-documented. Poor children have increased infant mortality; more frequent and severe chronic diseases such as asthma; poorer nutrition and growth; less access to quality health care; lower immunization rates; and increased obesity and its complications."

American captains of industry and politicians love to pat themselves on the back when they throw scraps to the most vulnerable citizens in the country -- the infant children of the poor and disadvantaged. These leaders love to be in the front row when the cameras roll at toy drives and fund-raisers for children's hospitals.

The next time I hear hollow assurances about "doing X for our children" or "doing Y for our grandchildren," I'll be thinking about the 11,300 Americans born last year who never got a chance to do anything but die.