Why is the Infant Mortality Rate High in the US?
Many people were shocked when a 2006 report detailed that the US infant mortality rate ranked second highest in the world, among developed countries. Further, statistics regarding this rate showed disturbing patterns. Infant mortality rate was much higher in the US among minorities, and was connected often to not only deaths for infants but also health risks to mothers. Since the report, there have been a number of theories as to why the US infant mortality rate is so high in the US. These are listed as some of the main reasons. At the top of the list is inequitable access to health care. Especially among those who are very poor, and among teens who have children, health care was not always equally available. It is not a stretch to imagine that good medical advice and monitoring of a pregnancy is an important contributing factor to babies born at an appropriate birth weight, born full-term, and most importantly born healthy.
