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Best and Worst Countries To Be A Mother: U.S. Ranks Only #25

Alyssa

Alyssa

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Best and Worst Countries To Be A Mother: U.S. Ranks Only #25


When State of the World’s Mothers 2012 was released by Save The Children this week, timed to commemorate Mother’s Day, the American media pounced on one point made in the 70-page report: The U.S. ranked #25 in a tally of which countries were the best and worst places for being a mom.

The criteria in the Mothers’ Index are all factors affecting the health, security, and well-being of mothers. The U.S. comes up alarmingly short in these key areas:

  • Risk of maternal mortality. With a 1 in 2,100 risk of maternal death — meaning the lifetime chance of death from some cause related to pregnancy or having children — the U.S. has the highest risk of any industrialized nation. A woman in the U.S. is more than 7 times as likely as a mom from Ireland or Italy to die from a pregnancy-related cause.
  • Under-5 mortality. The U.S. rate for losing a child under the age of five is 8 per 1,000 births, which puts us on a par with Qatar, Slovakia, and Montenegro. Forty nations rate better than we do.
  • Maternity leave. According to the report, we have the least generous maternity leave policy of any wealthy nation, and we’re the only developed country that does not guarantee paid leave for working mothers. Only a handful of all countries in the world do not guarantee the right.
  • Preschool enrollment and the political status of women also hurt our ranking. In both areas, the report places the United States in the bottom 10 among developed countries.



Best and Worst Countries To Be A Mother: U.S. Ranks Only #25

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What is alarming is the mortality rate for pregnant women and children under five. 25 is a rather dismal figure, but I am curious to know what agenda the study was trying to accomplish.

I wonder how Norway's nationalized health care system can be so superior when many Norwegians go to different countries for treatment due to the long waits for many procedures. If that is the case, it would seem that Norway's number one status is dubious.

Is this "study" just propaganda to support Universal Health care? I mean, come on: "Save The Children."
 
These types of studies aren't really helpful for our country.
They don't break down the stats per state, but rather compare a country with a population of over 300 million (U.S.), to one with 5 million (Norway).
Part of the reason these things work out like that is just plain numbers.

Another thing is that we have a higher birth rate, so it's kinda inevitable that we'd also have a maternal death rate.
There are simply more women exposed to maternal death, by being pregnant.

Edit: Just to add, I'm not making excuses or saying that the U.S. is the best place to be a mother.
I'm just pointing out, that statistics can be used to mislead people.
I'm sure there are things we can improve upon.
 
Last edited:
Harry Guerrilla said:
These types of studies aren't really helpful for our country.
They don't break down the stats per state, but rather compare a country with a population of over 300 million (U.S.), to one with 5 million (Norway).
Part of the reason these things work out like that is just plain numbers.

Another thing is that we have a higher birth rate, so it's kinda inevitable that we'd also have a maternal death rate.
There are simply more women exposed to maternal death, by being pregnant.

Edit: Just to add, I'm not making excuses or saying that the U.S. is the best place to be a mother.
I'm just pointing out, that statistics can be used to mislead people.
I'm sure there are things we can improve upon.
Click to expand...

The connection between fertility rate and maternal death rate is not well extablished. However, it is logical to assume an inverse relationship. Since most complications occur in a primagravidae, a country with a low birth rate will have a sample population with a larger proportion of first timers. Therefore, there should be a higher maternal death rate.

Remember, we're talking about rates and not totals.
 
Ben K. said:
The connection between fertility rate and maternal death rate is not well extablished. However, it is logical to assume an inverse relationship. Since most complications occur in a primagravidae, a country with a low birth rate will have a sample population with a larger proportion of first timers. Therefore, there should be a higher maternal death rate.

Remember, we're talking about rates and not totals.
Click to expand...

I don't think we can assume that though.
We'd have to examine the number of children, per person and the death rate for 1 time mothers and 2nd + time mothers, to find a real connection.
 
Harry Guerrilla said:
These types of studies aren't really helpful for our country.
They don't break down the stats per state, but rather compare a country with a population of over 300 million (U.S.), to one with 5 million (Norway).
Part of the reason these things work out like that is just plain numbers.

Another thing is that we have a higher birth rate, so it's kinda inevitable that we'd also have a maternal death rate.
There are simply more women exposed to maternal death, by being pregnant.

Edit: Just to add, I'm not making excuses or saying that the U.S. is the best place to be a mother.
I'm just pointing out, that statistics can be used to mislead people.
I'm sure there are things we can improve upon.
Click to expand...

No, you are using statistics to mislead people by pointing out a statistical irrelevance .. population size.
 
I agree with Harry here. They seem to be using straight numbers without taking into account the size and population of each country.

But hey, at least according to the study we are up 6 whole spots from last year! We're improving!
 
PeteEU said:
No, you are using statistics to mislead people by pointing out a statistical irrelevance .. population size.
Click to expand...

It's not irrelevant at all.
Population size can effect averages in many ways, either positive or negative.

The fact is that these statistics don't really address a problem specifically in the U.S.

I mean, if we're going to change policy based on these numbers, wouldn't it be more relevant to use specific state statistics, rather than national statistics.
After all, the maternal death rate in New York, may be lower than Norway and higher in Mississippi.
 
PeteEU said:
No, you are using statistics to mislead people by pointing out a statistical irrelevance .. population size.
Click to expand...

Population size is a factor if you are not basing your statistics on a per capita basis.
 
Harry Guerrilla said:
I don't think we can assume that though.
We'd have to examine the number of children, per person and the death rate for 1 time mothers and 2nd + time mothers, to find a real connection.
Click to expand...

We can assume the death rate is higher for first timers, it's well established. We can't assume a smaller birth rate means the sample size has a higher proportion of first timers, but it's certainly likely.
 
Ben K. said:
We can assume the death rate is higher for first timers, it's well established. We can't assume a smaller birth rate means the sample size has a higher proportion of first timers, but it's certainly likely.
Click to expand...

I could agree with that.
I'm just saying, that these statistics really don't help anything.

Regional or better, specific state statistics, would be better to help identify where the problem areas are.
Then a search of the cause, can more reliably be made.
 
Another good point, Harry. I had also considered the population differences and birth rate. It most certainly would affect those statistics. I wonder if it's possible to break it down state by state, and compare the more "socialist" states with other less socialist states. Which of those would have better health care for mothers and children? That would be more convincing.
 
I want more information on this. I just want to know why these things are the way they are.

Also, I don't approve of the preschool enrollment thing being a factor at all. Especially since I have seen reports that prove that having preschool only helps a child out the first couple of years of school. After that, those who didn't go to preschool are basically "caught up" to those who did (if they needed to at all) and everyone is at the same level. And there are plenty of parents, like myself who are capable of teaching those things that are taught in preschool to their children. It shouldn't matter how a child learns the basics, but rather that they are able to keep up in school. Preschool is not a necessity.
 
roguenuke said:
I want more information on this. I just want to know why these things are the way they are.

Also, I don't approve of the preschool enrollment thing being a factor at all. Especially since I have seen reports that prove that having preschool only helps a child out the first couple of years of school. After that, those who didn't go to preschool are basically "caught up" to those who did (if they needed to at all) and everyone is at the same level. And there are plenty of parents, like myself who are capable of teaching those things that are taught in preschool to their children. It shouldn't matter how a child learns the basics, but rather that they are able to keep up in school. Preschool is not a necessity.
Click to expand...

True, but now the new 2nd grade is in kindergarten. Kids are learning more than they did in the past.
 
Risk of maternal mortality. With a 1 in 2,100 risk of maternal death — meaning the lifetime chance of death from some cause related to pregnancy or having children — the U.S. has the highest risk of any industrialized nation. A woman in the U.S. is more than 7 times as likely as a mom from Ireland or Italy to die from a pregnancy-related cause.

Under-5 mortality. The U.S. rate for losing a child under the age of five is 8 per 1,000 births, which puts us on a par with Qatar, Slovakia, and Montenegro. Forty nations rate better than we do.
Click to expand...

The question would be why and what factors that can be controlled could change this?

Maternity leave. According to the report, we have the least generous maternity leave policy of any wealthy nation, and we’re the only developed country that does not guarantee paid leave for working mothers. Only a handful of all countries in the world do not guarantee the right.
Click to expand...

I hope this doesnt come across too sexist or anything but paid maternity leave or not mothers (or father) need to be staying home with their children through those years prior to school. Allowing your child to be raised by a day care or nanny does no good that I know of (assuming you are decent parents). Parents need to have more of an influence in their kids lives and their development.
 
evanescence said:
Best and Worst Countries To Be A Mother: U.S. Ranks Only #25


When State of the World’s Mothers 2012 was released by Save The Children this week, timed to commemorate Mother’s Day, the American media pounced on one point made in the 70-page report: The U.S. ranked #25 in a tally of which countries were the best and worst places for being a mom.

The criteria in the Mothers’ Index are all factors affecting the health, security, and well-being of mothers. The U.S. comes up alarmingly short in these key areas:

  • Risk of maternal mortality. With a 1 in 2,100 risk of maternal death — meaning the lifetime chance of death from some cause related to pregnancy or having children — the U.S. has the highest risk of any industrialized nation. A woman in the U.S. is more than 7 times as likely as a mom from Ireland or Italy to die from a pregnancy-related cause.
  • Under-5 mortality. The U.S. rate for losing a child under the age of five is 8 per 1,000 births, which puts us on a par with Qatar, Slovakia, and Montenegro. Forty nations rate better than we do.
  • Maternity leave. According to the report, we have the least generous maternity leave policy of any wealthy nation, and we’re the only developed country that does not guarantee paid leave for working mothers. Only a handful of all countries in the world do not guarantee the right.
  • Preschool enrollment and the political status of women also hurt our ranking. In both areas, the report places the United States in the bottom 10 among developed countries.



Best and Worst Countries To Be A Mother: U.S. Ranks Only #25

---------------------------------------

What is alarming is the mortality rate for pregnant women and children under five. 25 is a rather dismal figure, but I am curious to know what agenda the study was trying to accomplish.

I wonder how Norway's nationalized health care system can be so superior when many Norwegians go to different countries for treatment due to the long waits for many procedures. If that is the case, it would seem that Norway's number one status is dubious.

Is this "study" just propaganda to support Universal Health care? I mean, come on: "Save The Children."
Click to expand...

Sometimes I'm conflicted about these things. . . preschool enrollmentis crucial to being able to find employment earlier after having a child - but is paying other people to care for your children really a factor in 'good parent / bad parent' - and which way does it go? To the good parent or the bad parent?

I think some of these things conflict - you can't have a nation in which all mothers are 'there for their children all the time' and then send them off to daycare so they can be away from them all the time. :shrug: You know - is that better for the parenting or better for the woman as an individual?
 
I wonder if the number of abortions is considered in the American stats.
 
American said:
I wonder if the number of abortions is considered in the American stats.
Click to expand...

Probably not, as that number would not be relevant to maternal mortality, infant mortality, access to pre school, or maternity leave, and is probably no higher than it is in the other modern nations.
 
evanescence said:
True, but now the new 2nd grade is in kindergarten. Kids are learning more than they did in the past.
Click to expand...

And there are parents who are more than capable of taking up that slack.

Although we have huge issues in this country with the plain fact that a child in Preschool in one state could end up going to Kindergarten in another state or even area of the state where they are either behind or ahead just because those different places could have massive differences on what is taught and how much is taught of various things.
 
Aunt Spiker said:
Sometimes I'm conflicted about these things. . . preschool enrollmentis crucial to being able to find employment earlier after having a child - but is paying other people to care for your children really a factor in 'good parent / bad parent' - and which way does it go? To the good parent or the bad parent?
Click to expand...

I'm right there with you. I was a stay at home mom because we didn't trust anyone else to watch our children. Also, neither of us cared for the idea of an infant going to daycare. Babies belong with their moms. That's all there is to it. But these days, maintaining on a single income is nearly impossible.

Aunt Spiker said:
I think some of these things conflict - you can't have a nation in which all mothers are 'there for their children all the time' and then send them off to daycare so they can be away from them all the time. :shrug: You know - is that better for the parenting or better for the woman as an individual?
Click to expand...

For the first couple of years, i think so. I went back to work part time last year and then promptly got knocked up again. It's difficult to maintain family and work.
 
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