US infant mortality rates "closer to developing nations"

Yet another revelation demonstrating the way in which "pro-life" is a grave misnomer for religious activists. Maybe "pro-future life" would be more appropriate, since they don't seem to be concerned with what becomes of those actually born into the world.

America may be the world’s superpower, but its survival rate for newborn babies ranks near the bottom among modern nations, better only than Latvia.

Among 33 industrialized nations, the United States is tied with Hungary, Malta, Poland and Slovakia with a death rate of nearly 5 per 1,000 babies, according to a new report. Latvia’s rate is 6 per 1,000.

“We are the wealthiest country in the world, but there are still pockets of our population who are not getting the health care they need,” said Mary Beth Powers, a reproductive health adviser for the U.S.-based group Save the Children, which compiled the rankings based on health data from countries and agencies worldwide.

Figures on developing countries were released Monday.

The U.S. ranking is driven partly by racial and income health care disparities. Among U.S. blacks, there are 9 deaths per 1,000 live births, closer to rates in developing nations than to those in the industrialized world.

Something to think about the next time you hear someone argue the absolute necessity of leaving healthcare alone, lest in fall into the hands of 'communists.'