U.S. Newborn Death Rate Ranked Behind 40 Other Nations
Neonatal deaths have decreased by a good margin—28 percent—but work to improve newborn health care in the U.S. has not progressed at the rate of other industrialized nations, sending its rankings into the middle of the pack. No longer a healthcare leader in this arena, the U.S. ranks in the same spot as Qatar, Croatia and the United Arab Emirates.
The study shows that babies born in countries including South Korea, Cuba, Malaysia, Lithuania, Poland and Israel are now more likely to survive than those born in the United States.
According to Joy Lawn of Save the Children who was involved in the research, ‘It’s not that things are worse in the United States than before, it’s that the U.S. isn’t making progress like other countries.’ She noted that one of the major challenges faced by the United States is complications from preterm birth since the U.S. rate of preterm birth is double that of Northern Africa and European countries. Although little can be done to prevent preterm birth, premature babies born to disadvantaged people in the U.S. may be less likely to receive the costly extra care they need.