[yes_really]

The infant mortality rate is based on extremely misleading statistics.

In the US, if a baby is born who can be saved but isn't, their death is reported in the neonatal mortality statistics. But in other countries it is more common for babies in these situations to be counted as miscarriages or stillbirths.

In the US, very low birth weight infants are considered to be alive (because, of course, they are), but in Canada, Germany, Australia, and other countries, a premature baby weighting less than 500g is considered to be already dead, even if it is breathing and has a heartbeat. So they don't have to add it to their infant mortality statistics when their healthcare system fails to save its life.

In fact, since the year 2000, of the 52 surviving babies who were born weighting less than 400g, 42 were born and saved in the US.

Sources:

- https://youtu.be/KEHM3EHUTew?list=PLWu1-TbpoIFJZga03X-Wzf1UH...

- https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/infant-...

- https://www.forbes.com/sites/physiciansfoundation/2016/04/12...

[arcticbull]

The 4th worst maternal mortality rate in the entire OECD too. That would be the mother dying during childbirth. [1] More than double Canada in 2018 and 10X New Zealand. [2] Without getting into your data re: infants (because I do not know enough to do so), I suspect this one's not as easy to hand-wave.

The results of the study carried out in [2] say:

  The U.S. has a relative undersupply of maternity care providers, especially midwives, and lacks comprehensive postpartum supports.

American healthcare is acceptable if you can afford it and a death sentence if you can't.

[1] https://www.npr.org/series/543928389/lost-mothers

[2] https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2...