In the United States, more babies die on the first day of life than
in any other industrialized country, according to a new report.Each year, about 11,300 U.S. babies die the day they're born, which is 50 percent more deaths than all other industrialized countries combined, according to the report from the charity organization Save the Children.
When the organization ranked countries by the rate of death on the first day of life, the United States placed behind 67 others, including Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
The report ranked 186 countries in all. Somalia has the highest first-day death rate, with 18 deaths per 1,000 live births, while Luxemburg, Singapore and Sweden have among the lowest, with less than 0.5 deaths per 1,000 live births. The rate of first-day death in the United States is 2.6 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The relatively high rate of preterm birth in the United States compared to other industrialized countries contributes to the nation's high rate of first-day deaths, said Carolyn Miles, president and CEO of Save the Children.
And a lack of access to prenatal care for poor women contributes to the high rate of premature birth, Miles said. Women need access to proper prenatal care, in part to understand their risk of preterm birth and other pregnancy complications, Miles said.
Although overall mortality has dropped worldwide for children under 5 years old, from 12 million deaths in 1990 to 7 million yearly deaths today, less progress has been made in reducing newborn deaths. In 2011, 3 million babies died in the first month of life, one-third of whom died on the day they were born, Save the Children says.
Globally, India has the most first-day deaths, with more than 300,000 yearly, followed by Nigeria, with 90,000 a year, the report said.
In developing countries, simple solutions could reduce the rate of first-day deaths. More than 1 million babies could be saved each year with access to four low-tech products, costing between 13 cents and $6, Save the Children says. These products are: resuscitation devices to help babies breathe; the antiseptic chlorhexidine to prevent umbilical cord infections; injectable antibiotics to treat infections; and antenatal steroid injections to help preterm babies' lungs develop.
"It really it's about simple solutions," Miles said.
U.S. is the most dangerous place in the industrialized world for newborns with more babies dying on their first day than in any other developed nation
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The U.S. is one of the most dangerous countries in the industrialized world for newborns due to high rates of premature births and babies born to teen mothers, according to a new study.
For every 1,000 babies born in the U.S., three die on the day of their birth - which is the highest first-day death rate in the industrialized world, a report by the global aid group 'Save the Children' says. The U.S. rate is worse than even some developing countries, including Cuba, Egypt and Mexico.
'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 vs. 5.3 million, respectively), but only about half as many first-day deaths as the United States (11,300 in the U.S. vs. 5,800 in EU member countries),' the 88-page report states.
Report: The U.S. is one of the most dangerous countries in the industrialized world for newborns due to high rates of premature births and babies born to teen mothers
Shocking statistics: For every 1,000 babies born in the U.S., three die on the day of their birth - which is the highest first-day death rate in the industrialized world
The world’s lowest first-day mortality rates are found in Cyprus, Estonia, Iceland, Luxembourg, Singapore and Sweden. In each of these countries, only one baby per 2,000 newborns die on the day of their birth.
To explain the high rates of first-day infant deaths in the U.S., the report points to the fact that many babies in the U.S. - about one in eight - are born too early.
Premature births are the leading cause of infant deaths worldwide, and roughly 130 countries have lower rates of premature babies than the U.S.
Another reason behind the country's newborn deaths can be attributed to the the fact that it has the highest rate of teen mothers than any of the industrialized countries.
'Teenage mothers in the U.S. tend to be poorer, less educated and receive less prenatal care than older mothers,' the report says. 'Because of these challenges, babies born to teen mothers are more likely to be be low-birthweight and be born prematurely and to die in their first month. They are also more likely to suffer chronic medical conditions, do poorly in school and give birth during their teen years (continuing the cycle of teen pregnancy.)'
To lower the rates of infant deaths in the country, the group recommends growing investments in education, health care and sexual health awareness for youth.
The study also recommends 'family planning' - i.e., some form of birth control, whether natural or medicinal - considering half of all births in the U.S. are unplanned.
Health care: Somali mothers and their babies wait in line for the babies to receive a five-in-one vaccine against several potentially fatal childhood diseases. A new report says more than 1 million babies die on their day of birth every year
The report is the 14th annual study by 'Save the Children,' which aims to increase awareness of the needs of mothers and children around the world.
The organization works with health officials and donors to help increase health care access and quality.
The report also assesses the health and well-being of mothers, in terms of education, economic and political status.
Finland is named the best place to be a mother while the Democratic Republic of the Congo is ranked the worst. The U.S. comes in 30th place in that ranking, with women facing a one in 2,400 risk of maternal death.
Best place to be a mother: The report also assesses the health and well-being of mothers, in terms of education, economic and political status. The U.S. ranks 30th on this list
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