MATERNAL
AND INFANT MORTALITY RATES IN THE USA ARE A TRAGIC EMBARRASSMENT
Excerpted from an article by Dr. Mercola
10/6/16
(This article confirms:
1 The wretched state of health of our young women –
mainly due to horrible diets.
2. The failure of modern medicine in the important area of
maternal and infant mortality.
3. The insanity of vaccination.
- Dr. Wilson)
Global rates for
maternal mortality have fallen by close to one-half, except in the U.S., where
the number of women who die related to their pregnancy has significantly increased.1
In a similar fashion,
infant mortality rates are higher than any of the other 27 wealthy countries
reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).2
Cost for medical care in the U.S. is the highest
in the world. Unfortunately, high medical expenditures do not translate into
better outcomes for mothers and infants. In fact, the
number of infant deaths in the U.S. for every 1,000 live births is higher than
in Bosnia, Slovenia, Cuba and Belarus.3
According to data
released from the Institute of Health Metrics, there are 28 maternal deaths for
every 100,000 births in the U.S.4 This number is a drastic 22 percent increase, up from
23 deaths in 2003.5,6 Compared to 1990, the maternal death rate in the U.S. has
more than DOUBLED.7
Why Are so Many New Mothers Dying?
The
increase in the number of new mothers dying puts the U.S. above a number of
other poorer countries, whose numbers had declined, including Russia, Romania,
Iran and Vietnam.8
While
the overall U.S. rate was up by more than 50 percent since 1990, it is
important to note the estimated rate increase for 48 states was up by 27
percent, and in Texas the rate doubled.9
In
analyzing the data, it appears the death rate from hemorrhaging during birth,
and eclampsia, a
maternal condition involving dangerously high blood pressure, has remained
stable over the years.10 Instead, the number of
deaths related to chronic disease, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and
obesity, has risen.11
Dr.
William Callaghan, acting chief of the Maternal and Infant Health Branch,
Division of Reproductive Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,12 told The New York
Times:13
"The really scary thing to us is all the
deaths from cardiovascular disease and heart failure. It's a quarter of all
deaths. There were almost none in the remote past."
Maternal
deaths are counted even if the new mother dies six months after she's given
birth and the death is related to the pregnancy. Some argue the increase in
number is related to better tracking. However, Callaghan, who is intimately
familiar with the statistics, believes the rise is real.
The
director of maternal and child health research at the Institute of Health
Metrics and Evaluation, Dr. Nicholas Kassebaum,
originally believed the statistics were an error in the data processing, but
now believes the U.S. may be experiencing the fallout of obesity ahead
of other countries.14
U.S.
hospitals and healthcare systems have become quite adept at handling
life-threatening situations, but fall short in adequately dealing with chronic
health conditions. The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) reports a rising number of freestanding emergency
centers.15
The
growing number of independent freestanding emergency departments and off-site
hospital-based emergency care speaks volumes about the direction medicine takes
toward treating the emergencies chronic health conditions create.
The
rising epidemic of obesity fuels cardiovascular disease, diabetes and
stroke in new mothers and the general population. To make a significant impact
on the number of maternal deaths, it is essential that evaluation and
prevention of chronic health conditions be put at the forefront of public
health policy.
Statistics
for maternal mortality include women
from
age 15 to 49 years. Kassebaum reported an increase in
the number of women over 40 who were achieving pregnancy, but found this new
trend was not the driving force behind the increasing maternal mortality rate.
The
mother's immune system plays a critical role in the
development of her unborn baby, including the baby's neurological and
immunological systems. Prenatal infections activate the maternal immune system
and trigger an inflammatory response. While researchers have identified
specific infections that trigger damage to an unborn baby, ANY immune
activation can trigger a response.
Brain
function and behavior of your child are impacted by prenatal insults to your
immune system.29 Activation of the
maternal immune system upregulates inflammatory
cytokines in the brain of the baby, and infection and activation of the
maternal immune system have been linked to schizophrenia, cerebral palsy and
autism in the child.30,31
This
is a unique health risk attributed to even the virusthat causes the common cold.32 Interestingly, active
replication of the virus in the mother's body is not necessary for the
inflammatory response that triggers the damage. It is the mother's immune
system, not the pathogen, that is responsible for the changes in the baby's
brain.33
The
inflammatory response in the maternal body is also associated with preterm
birth and low birth weight babies. Multiple studies have associated both
inflammation34,35and
specific infections36,37,38 with these outcomes.
Both of these factors contribute to the infant mortality rates in any country.
This leads directly to the doorstep of vaccinations. Avaccine
works by triggering your immune system. According to the National Vaccine Program Office in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:39"Vaccines teach the immune system by mimicking a natural infection."Natural infections
trigger an inflammatory response in the mother's body, which in turn trigger
potential neurological and immunological deficits in the unborn child and
increase the risk for low birth weight or preterm birth. Low birth weight not
only increases your child's risk of mortality in the first year, but has also
been associated with a number of different health conditions in later life.
According to the March
of Dimes, babies born weighing less than 5 pounds 8 ounces are at higher risk
for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and
obesity.40 Unfortunately, the March of Dimes also reports that 1 of
every 12 babies born in the U.S. have low birth weight.
Before routinely
accepting the CDC recommendations for vaccination during pregnancy,41,42 it is important to
understand the risks to yourself and your unborn child. Researchers found the
number of childhood immunizations given in the first year of life had predictive value on
infant mortality rates. A higher number of childhood immunizations given
resulted in higher rates of infant mortality.43
The U.S.
vaccination schedule specifies 26 doses of vaccination before age 1, the most
of any country! Using linear regression, scientists compared results from 34
countries and found those countries with the lower number of vaccines given
also had the lowest rates of infant mortality.44 Of the 34 countries, 33 had lower infant mortality rates
than the U.S.
Vitamin D is
particularly important for infant and maternal health. Having a vitamin D level
of at least 40 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) has been shown to reduce the risk of premature birth
by 50 percent. For a refresher, please see my previous article, "New Campaign Aims to Resolve Vitamin D Deficiency Among
Pregnant Women and Children."
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