Why does a baby in the U.S. have a higher risk of dying in the first year of life compared to other wealthy countries?
This question prompted me to compare vaccines given during that first year of life. I compared the countries with under 3 deaths per thousand against the US infant mortality rate of 6.1. The following is what I discovered.
This question prompted me to compare vaccines given during that first year of life. I compared the countries with under 3 deaths per thousand against the US infant mortality rate of 6.1. The following is what I discovered.
Infant mortality rates in countries with much lower numbers on the list:
Finland - 2.3
Japan - 2.3
Portugal - 2.5
Sweden - 2.5
Czech Republic - 2.7
Norway - 2.8
It is interesting to note the number of vaccines given in the first year of life per country...
United States: 32
Finland: 15
Japan: 16 (can vary between 11 and 21)
Portugal: 26 (Note: While there are 26 vaccines on the formal schedule of recommendation, there is only 1 vaccine (polio) given to babies for free. Portugal only has a 95% vaccination rate compared to the United States where more than half (60%) of states reporting higher than 98% vaccine compliance and 10 more have complete compliance between 96%-98%. Only a few states drop as low as 95%-96% vaccinated. When the states measure compliance they are including those who strictly adhere to the entire schedule, not the partially vaccinated. I'm not sure if Portugal includes partially vaccinated in their 95%, just polio, or the entire schedule.)
Sweden: 18
Norway: 20
(It is also interesting to note that the schedule for Sweden and Norway are identical except that Norway includes 2 doses of Rotavirus at 6 weeks and 3 months.)
Czech Republic: 29
(I wanted to point out the difference between the PCV vaccine given to babies here is PCV10, which has 10 bacterial forms as opposed to the PCV13 given to American babies with 13 bacterial forms. Czech law requires that children must have 6 vaccines by their 3rd birthday, despite the larger recommended schedule.)
It is also noteworthy that parents and physicians have choices regarding single or multi-dose vaccines in various parts of Europe. Whereas, in the U.S. many vaccines are combined (such as MMR) and we are not given the option of having just one given at a time without the rest.
In 2014 in the United States, over 23,000 babies died. That is horrendous. I wonder how many of those deaths were caused by vaccines. I believe most of them. Almost all of the states (11 out of 12) that report a vaccine compliance rate of over 99% also report the highest infant mortality rates, which are well above the national average and range from 6.3-10 deaths per 1,000 infants.
Finland - 2.3
Japan - 2.3
Portugal - 2.5
Sweden - 2.5
Czech Republic - 2.7
Norway - 2.8
It is interesting to note the number of vaccines given in the first year of life per country...
United States: 32
Finland: 15
Japan: 16 (can vary between 11 and 21)
Portugal: 26 (Note: While there are 26 vaccines on the formal schedule of recommendation, there is only 1 vaccine (polio) given to babies for free. Portugal only has a 95% vaccination rate compared to the United States where more than half (60%) of states reporting higher than 98% vaccine compliance and 10 more have complete compliance between 96%-98%. Only a few states drop as low as 95%-96% vaccinated. When the states measure compliance they are including those who strictly adhere to the entire schedule, not the partially vaccinated. I'm not sure if Portugal includes partially vaccinated in their 95%, just polio, or the entire schedule.)
Sweden: 18
Norway: 20
(It is also interesting to note that the schedule for Sweden and Norway are identical except that Norway includes 2 doses of Rotavirus at 6 weeks and 3 months.)
Czech Republic: 29
(I wanted to point out the difference between the PCV vaccine given to babies here is PCV10, which has 10 bacterial forms as opposed to the PCV13 given to American babies with 13 bacterial forms. Czech law requires that children must have 6 vaccines by their 3rd birthday, despite the larger recommended schedule.)
It is also noteworthy that parents and physicians have choices regarding single or multi-dose vaccines in various parts of Europe. Whereas, in the U.S. many vaccines are combined (such as MMR) and we are not given the option of having just one given at a time without the rest.
In 2014 in the United States, over 23,000 babies died. That is horrendous. I wonder how many of those deaths were caused by vaccines. I believe most of them. Almost all of the states (11 out of 12) that report a vaccine compliance rate of over 99% also report the highest infant mortality rates, which are well above the national average and range from 6.3-10 deaths per 1,000 infants.
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