Saturday, July 28th, 2018
Stephan: I have just edited the galleys of a paper I am publishing in a week or so, "Why Doesn't America Like Its Children?" It covers in greater length and more details, exactly the sort of thing covered in today's lead article, whose publication I find very interesting because it tells me I'm not the only person looking at this outcome data in horror.
Compared the rest of the world's developed nations having in a child in the U.S. is a dangerous business for both mother and baby. And the cost... The cost of delivering a child in the U.S. can be 10 times what it is Europe, and it results in 10s of thousands of families going bankrupt. Here is a taste of the data, I will post my longer paper as soon as it is out.
What it all tells us once again is that we do not have a healthcare system in America we have an illness profit system, and we tolerate it year after year like submissive serfs.
A hospital room in a maternity ward.
Credit: Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald
The United States is the most dangerous country in the developed world to give birth in, according to a new study by USA Today.
By the numbers: Most women in the country give birth without incident, but nearly 50,000 are severely injured during birth annually and about 700 die. Much of it has to do with hospitals not using best practices during deliveries, the study says.
The details: Hypertension and hemorrhages are the two leading causes of childbirth death and injury and 90% of the deaths could be prevented. “USA TODAY repeatedly contacted 75 hospitals in 13 states to press for specific answers about whether they are following the[Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health Programs] Program’s recommended practices for hemorrhage and hypertension….Half wouldn’t answer the questions.”
Be smart: This isn’t a new problem. Pro Publica reported similar statistics on childbirth death and injury last year.
The solution: More hospitals are advised to follow best practices […]
This all may be true but we passionately love the unborn!