The U.S. infant mortality rate rose 3% last year — the largest increase in two decades, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
White and Native American infants, infant boys and babies born at 37 weeks or earlier had significant death rate increases. The CDC’s report, published Wednesday, also noted larger increases for two of the leading causes of infant deaths — maternal complications and bacterial meningitis.
“It’s definitely concerning, given that it’s going in the opposite direction from what it has been,” said Marie Thoma, a University of Maryland researcher who studies maternal and infant mortality.
It sort of makes sense that if you don't let women abort risky pregnancies, then infant mortality will go up. That's nothing but preventable misery.
They attack all healthcare over abortions, and now they're even targeting military promotions and interstate travel for the same agenda.
I'd hesitate to jump to conclusions on that. For one, the laws haven't been in effect that long.
Dr. Eric Eichenwald, a Philadelphia-based neonatologist, called the new data “disturbing,” but said experts at this point can only speculate as to why a statistic that generally has been falling for decades rose sharply in 2022.
However later on:
More than 30 states saw at least slight rises in infant mortality rates in 2022, but four states had statistically significant increases — Georgia, Iowa, Missouri and Texas.
It should be noted that, while each of these states have been trying to implement abortion bans, Iowa's ban down to 6 weeks is on hold indefinitely, so it is still legal up to 20 weeks there.
They should look into the effects of social pressures that are related to the abortion bans as well.
Yeah, it's the classic "more study is needed" caveat.
Worth pointing out for sure, thanks. Good to make sure assumptions are supported by data.
Rural hospital closures are on the rise across the country as declining populations and seeking higher profits push for consolidation nation-wide. It's more impactful rurally, though. And for those states that have or are implementing abortion bans, they are hemorrhaging OB/GYN practitioners who want to move to states with crystal clear female and neonatal care laws that are a bit less "career ending". E.g. last I read there were only a handful of doctors in Idaho and women were seeking care in Washington where most of the doctors had moved.
At least they get the absolute best healthcare, so that shou… oh wait.
Gee I wonder why. When you take away rights to abort unsustainable/dangerous pregnancies infant mortality goes up. Insert surprised pikachu face.
The US is already among the worst for infant mortality (bottom 4th among North American and Western European countries). The downward-trend causes and solutions are interrelated and complex, and include (and aren't limited to):
- For profit (privatized) healthcare (for those under 65, the child-raising generations); solution: universal basic (single-payer) healthcare.
- Laws limiting healthcare options for women; solution: reinstate Roe v. Wade
- Limiting financial support for families forced by law (and religion-based moral public pressure) into providing for a child they can't afford; solution: universal basic income and healthcare.
- Local environmental conditions (chemical exposure of workers and residents); solution: improve, enforce, and fund environmental protection.
- Pharmaceuticals based on loose evidence for lack of harm (e.g. short-term, limited, selective studies); solution: independent long-term studies based on evidence of safety.
None of the problems are a surprise, they are the predictable consequences of choices. None of the solutions are flawless, even while they head in a more public direction.
One of the other significant causes that relates back to your first point is a lack of staff, training, and established procedures for birthing complications. A substantial portion of infant and mother mortality in the US has been linked to a lack of investment in addressing preventable issues, because that costs shareholders more.
If they are post birth the fascists don't care.
8% increase in maternal complications
Bacterial sepsis shot up by 14%
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