More shocking statistics

Baby Center is causing a stir again this week, citing a Fox news article about premature births:

"According to Fox News, 15-million babies worldwide were born prematurely in 2010. 1.1 million of those babies died. A Reuters report explains that premature birth rates have doubled in developing countries since 1995, despite widespread efforts to reduce them.

The difference between death from premature birth and survival lies in where these babies are born.

“While more than 90 percent of babies born before 28 weeks in wealthier countries survive, however, in poor countries more than 90 percent die.”

Of the eleven countries that have preterm birth rates of 15 % or higher, nine of those are in sub-Saharan Africa. But, while geography is at play, wealth alone does not determine preterm birth rates.
The U.S. ranks poorly, coming in at 130th out of 184 countries. With a 12 percent rate– 12 preterm births per 100– USA ties with Somalia, Turkey and Thailand. It only just edges out Honduras and Timor."

Reading most of the comments, the consensus seems to be that the United States has a high rate of premature births because of our advanced healthcare system--better healthcare, the comments read, leads to more live preemies! While I'm ready to acknowledge that--again, they state that “While more than 90 percent of babies born before 28 weeks in wealthier countries survive, however, in poor countries more than 90 percent die.” Obviously, wealth and technology are saving babies.
However, that doesn't change the fact that here, 12 out of every 100 babies BORN, regardless of whether they live or die, are born premature.

That doesn't change the fact that here, with 12 out of 100 babies being born premature, we are on par with Somalia, a country famed as "a failed state and is one of the poorest and most violent states in the world," according to the Human Development Report 2010 – Data Tables. United Nations.

It may be speculative, but perhaps some of the same problems that contribute to the poor state of our preterm birth rate are also contributing to the dangerous state of maternal health in America. 

Healthy  moms = healthy babies.