{"id":301090,"date":"2023-11-06T08:41:11","date_gmt":"2023-11-06T14:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=301090"},"modified":"2023-11-06T11:25:26","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T17:25:26","slug":"infant-mortality-rate-rises-first-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/infant-mortality-rate-rises-first-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Infant mortality is up for the first time in 20 years. Is incentivizing abortion to blame?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The U.S. infant mortality rate rose<\/a> by three percent from 2021 to 2022 \u2014 and experts point to maternity care deserts as the cause of the increase. Previously, the infant mortality rate had declined by 22% from 2002 to 2021.<\/p>\n

The study, released on Wednesday by the National Center for Health Statistics, revealed that there were 5.60 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022 compared with 5.44 deaths in 2021. In all, in 2021 there were 19,928 infant deaths, while in 2022 there were 20,538. These deaths included both newborn and postneonatal deaths (28 days or longer since birth), with newborn deaths rising three percent and postneonatal deaths rising four percent. Infant deaths due to maternal complications \u2014 including preeclampsia or preterm delivery \u2014 and bacterial sepsis have risen by 8% and 14%, respectively, reported CNN<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe live in a country with significant resources, so the infant mortality rate and the increase are shockingly high. As pediatricians who help children grow into healthy adults, any death of any child is one too many. The infant mortality rate in this country i[s] unacceptable,” Dr. Sandy Chung, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics told CNN<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Rachel Hardeman, professor of health and racial equity at the University of Minnesota along with Dr. Elizabeth Cherot, President and CEO of March of Dimes, said that geographical areas are likely contributing factors in the high infant mortality rate. Such areas are known as “maternity care deserts.”<\/p>\n

Live Action News has previously reported<\/a> on maternity care deserts, which exist across the United States in both pro-life and abortion-friendly states. These deserts typically exist in rural areas of the country as only about seven percent of obstetric providers such as obstetricians and certified midwives serve rural areas, according to Dr. Zsakeba Henderson of the March of Dimes.<\/p>\n

Adding to the already low number of obstetric providers in rural areas, labor and delivery units in those areas are closing. Shifts in local populations\u2019 ages<\/a>, the decline in the birth rate<\/a>, and financial and logistical challenges that were aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic are the primary causes.<\/p>\n

In Connecticut<\/a>, a pro-abortion state, the fertility rate declined<\/a> by two percent between 2011 and 2020. Trinity Health of New England’s Johnson Memorial Hospital petitioned the state to close its labor and delivery unit at its rural Stafford Springs location this year while Hartford HealthCare’s Windham Hospital in Connecticut stopped delivering babies a few years ago as did Rockville General Hospital, New Milford Hospital, and Milford Hospital.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople say, \u2018Oh, New Milford closed, it was fine.\u2019 They have highways to get people over to Danbury; we have these back roads,\u201d said Dr. Edward Kavle<\/a><\/u>, a pediatrician in Sharon Hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit, which is considering closing. \u201cAnd there are a lot of papers that tell us that any time over 25 minutes makes it incredibly dangerous for babies.\u201d<\/p>\n

In South Carolina, a pro-life state, more than 60% of labor and delivery unit closures were in rural areas and were considered low-volume birthing centers.<\/p>\n

\u201cOB services are really not profitable, especially in the small hospitals; they don\u2019t have economies of scale. They don\u2019t want to invest,” said Peiyin Hung, a researcher on maternal health and rural health disparities at the University of South Carolina.<\/p>\n