General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Whoa...slow down on the anti-vaxxer bashing!! [View all]DebJ
(7,699 posts)What are the Causes?
Fortunately, most newborns grow and thrive. However, for every 1,000 babies that are born, six die during their first year.1 Most of these babies die because they are
Born with a serious birth defect.
Born too small and too early (i.e., preterm birth; birth before 37 weeks gestation).
Victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Affected by maternal complications of pregnancy.
Victims of injuries (e.g., suffocation).
These top five leading causes of infant mortality together account for 58% of all infant deaths in the United States in 2011.1
http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/infantmortality.htm
I'm willing to bet that several of the factors above are linked to poverty and teen pregnancy. I know in our inner city,
it is very common for teen age Moms to give their infants Kool-Aid instead of formula; I've seen it on the streets many times.
It is a social/educational issue also.