Just when the CDC stats revealed that the life expectancy has rose to its ever best in America hitting pass the 78 years mark, continued high rates of low birth weight, high child and teen mortality, and increasingly high number of children living in poverty are still a cause of concern.
The new data revealed by the Laura Beavers, coordinator of the Kids Count project for the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation highlights that the number of underweight babies born in the United States has increased to its highest rate in the past 40 years.
Despite ever-enhancing medical facilities, children born underweight - less than 5.5 pounds - are at a greater risk of dying at infancy or developing long term disabilities, experts worry.
‘Increasing women power’ – is one of the reason behind rising rates of underweight babies, researchers note. Over the past three decades, many well educated women appear to have accepted the idea that babies must take a back seat to the establishment of a career, thus causing women to opt for fertility treatments to conceive in older years. These fertility treatments raise the chances of multiple births, thus underweight babies, experts explain.
Furthermore, giving dangers signs the birth-weight problem also has been worsening for single-baby deliveries.
Poverty surely is another cause of concern. The percentage of children living in poverty is a staggering 93 percent higher than the U.S. average.
Noting the rising trends of African-American babies dying at twice the rate than white infants, Virginia Berry White, LMSW, director of the Denmark-based Low Country Healthy Start said, “Poverty levels are extremely high in rural communities for so many reasons. In Allendale and Hampton counties, pregnant women have to travel outside their service area for care. There are no birthing hospitals in Allendale and Hampton counties, and this is a problem for families who don’t have transportation.”
The findings released in the 19th annual Kids Count Data Book looking at the health and well-being of America's youth, measures the states on 10 indicators from infant mortality to single-parent families. Data on child health, education and the economic conditions of families is also looked into.
While, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Utah ranked the highest in the composite rankings for all 10 indicators, Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico, Alabama and South Carolina faired the lowest.
Interestingly, a recent study released by UNICEF notes that the United States compares poorly with other developed countries. In a composite index on child well-being, UNICEF report ranked the United States second-worst out of 33 industrialized nations. Also, it ranked 29th for the percentage of babies born low birth weights.
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