I’ve gotten into some interesting debates over health care recently, and one of the things constantly thrown in my face is the rate of infant mortality in the US as opposed to other developed nations.  It’s true.  A higher percentage of infants die in the United States than in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and give or take about 30 more.  Even Cuba and Taiwan have lower rates of infant death.

Last April, The New York Times speculated that a possible reason for this is the number of premature babies born in the US.  In an October editorial, the same newspaper published this:

Infant mortality is associated with many factors, including the health and economic status of the mother, her race or ethnicity, access to quality medical care, and such cultural problems as rising obesity and drug use.

That makes it difficult to identify the cause of the United States’ poor performance. Some researchers blame an increase in premature births, many by Caesarean section. The chief lesson we draw is that the American health care system, despite the highest expenditures in the world, is badly in need of an overhaul.

Obviously, our health care isn’t as top notch as it is in other countries, with lower levels of infant deaths.  This is a very persuasive argument in favor of socialized health care, or a government option, or universal coverage, or whatever it’s being called this week.  Nothing quite as sad as a dead baby, is there?  We should try to be more like the countries with less dead babies!

Except for the fact that if a mother wants a shot at giving birth to a child, there is no better place in the world for her to achieve that goal than in the United States.  The CDC reports that the reason for so many infant deaths in the United States is the high rate of premature births.  That obviously has to do with the health of the mother and the prenatal care she received, doesn’t it?  Or maybe it has to do with the fact that the United States has the most advanced fertility treatments on the planet.  By definition, a woman unable to get pregnant on her own is considered “higher-risk” than normal.  That’s not to knock fertility treatments, because I think it’s amazing that people are able to have children using modern technology.  But let’s face the facts- women that can’t get pregnant on their own are most likely going to have a harder time staying pregnant.  Does that mean that we should deny a woman the chance to have a child of her own, because she is less likely to carry a pregnancy to term and she might bring our statistics down?

The United States also tops the list for keeping women pregnant longer.  Which means that there are many, many dead babies due to preterm labor that would have been labeled miscarriages, had the mother not used advanced medicine and technology to identify preterm labor and take action to stop it.  Should we not stop preterm labor in a 20 week fetus because the survival rate is zilch?  What if we can give that kiddo 2-4 more weeks in the womb?  The chances of survival at that point is something, if not high.  Or do we not even try, because the baby will probably die any way, and we don’t want to lower those statistics.

Speaking of miscarriages, let’s talk about how those death rate numbers compare.  In the US- EVERY baby born showing even the smallest sign of life (like a heart beat) is counted as a live birth, and usually “heroic” measures are taken to save that child.  In the UK, babies are not resuscitated if born before 24 weeks of pregnancy.  In the Netherlands, it’s 25 weeks.  In some parts of Switzerland, only babies longer than 30cm are counted as a live birth.  Germany, Canada, and France omit criteria set by WHO to determine live births, and also struggle with obtaining accurate birth records.

So I guess if the United States would just stop with the nonsense of trying to get infertile women pregnant, keeping woman with risky pregnancies pregnant, trying to save the babies if they’re born prematurely, and then if all intervention fails and the baby dies, actually calling it an infant death instead of a still birth, our infant mortality rate might be as low as Singapore’s.

One of my toddler’s favorite games right now is to pick up a Duplo block, hold it to her ear, and say, “Hew-woe?” It’s pretty cute, and a testament to how far technology has come that she is convinced that a bright green, 2-inch block with 8 little “buttons” is a cell phone. Actually, I’m not sure she’d even recognize a phone with a curly cord. Or even a regular bulky cordless. Her dad and I gave up our land line before she was even a twinkle in our eyes.

Generally speaking, I’m a fan of technology. I loathe the household chores now, I shudder to think about what it would be like if my daily list included emptying chamber pots, scrubbing clothes in a bucket and then putting them through that wringer thingy (ok, I admit, that crank wringer might be fun at first. But I’m sure it would get old fast.), or churning butter. I do love to cook, only over the flames of my gas powered stove top. Any cooking that involves chopping wood, stoking a fire, and crouching over a sooty fireplace is not for me!

I also love my laptop and my blackberry. They keep me connected with my family, my friends, and my world. Just by pushing some buttons, I can call family and friends on the other side of the country. I can check the news while waiting in line at the grocery store. I can sit on the couch and snuggle with that aforementioned toddler while I write this post.

Technology is pretty cool.

But when does it go to far?

Have you seen this robot? It’s pretty freaky. It looks sort of like a torso with legs. Humanoid legs. That work! This thing walks! Add some arms and a head, some of that human tissue and skin they’re learning to grow in labs, and BAM! Robots that look like humans!

Another piece of technology I love is my TV and DVD player. And I love movies. Some of my favorites are The Matrix, The Terminator, and T2. Battlestar Gallactica? Forget about it, I frakkin’ love it. 6 is my favorite Cylon. Isn’t she everyone’s favorite?

Those science geeks need to get out more and watch some movies and TV. Because then they’d know that eventually the robots take over and thus begins the Man vs. Machine war!

Duh. Everyone knows that. Well, at least people with a DVD player.