Comments on: The Doctor Is In: Infant Mortality Comparisons a Statistical Miscarriage

By: gc

gc — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:25:26 +0000

Good article and discussion here. So, a few questions that I have not been able to find answers to. Given the discrepancies in reporting is there any reason to believe that infant mortality in the US is any better than in other developed countries? Or is the data not consistent enough to make any comparisons?

Next question is that it is clear from a study in the 1990s that the reporting was in fact different, however, as per the previous comment, is there any reason to believe that reporting is more consistent now among developed countries?

By: AdamSmithMD.com » Live Birth or Miscarriage, The Trouble with Infant Mortality Statistics

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:16:20 +0000

[...] [...]

By: Jack

Jack — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:22:07 +0000

I knew this data was crap. The US & WHO definitions are the same:

From CDC.gov (Technical Appendix From Vital Statistics of the US)

“Definition of live birth: Every product of conception that gives a sign of life after birth, regardless of length of pregnancy, is considered a live birth.

This concept is included in the definition set forth by WHO …In interest of comparable natality statistics, both the Statistical Commission of the UN and the CDC have adopted this definition.”

What can you expect from a blog titled pajamas.

By: KJ

KJ — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:06:50 +0000

ANON –
My best friend’s son was extremely premature. He spent a couple months in a NICU as an infant, then grew up to be a strong, intelligent wonderful young 16 yr old who I’m confident has much to offer our country. Would you like to tell him or his parents we wasted too much on him? What if that had been your own child? Wouldn’t you want to at least have the option to go to extra-ordinary measures to save them? This country values individual choice – should we now throw it away for your – or someone else’s – ‘better’ judgement of what is ‘worthwhile’?

By: Sean Gilligan

Sean Gilligan — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 05:10:47 +0000

She really should have provided footnotes on the figures. I did find some confirmation on Wikipedia, though:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infant_mortality#Comparing_infant_mortality_rates

When you think about it, how can the nature of that measurement not vary from country to country? I also suspect that since it is a “benchmark” measurement there is much incentive to game the results.

By: For those of you satisfied w/ the healthcare in the US... - Politics and Other Controversies - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 02:18:19 +0000

[...] [...]

By: The Economist Weighs In « Tarheel Red

The Economist Weighs In « Tarheel Red — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:55:02 +0000

[...] However, in many cases, countries fail to report all births due to their own definitions; for example: [...]

By: Anti-abortionism is easy; why not have a opinion requiring real moral courage? | Idiotprogrammer

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:29:10 +0000

[...] analysis confirming the problems of cross-national comparisons of infant mortality data). See also this doctor’s restatement of the criticism. Still, it wouldn’t surprise me if some attempt to standardize the data still shows [...]

By: Bilbo

Bilbo — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:03:42 +0000

Also interesting that while she’s no longer practicing, Dr. Halderman won’t provide an e-mail to share facts with concerned citizens. What agency is paying your salary, Dr. Halderman? Why not come out and give us a means to e-mail you, rather than hiding behind this conservative web firewall?

By: Bilbo

Bilbo — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:57:16 +0000

Okay, one mention. But no actual numbers to back it up. Bah.