“What Factors Contribute to Infant Mortality in Developed and Less Developed Countries?”

â€Å"What factors contribute to infant mortality in developed and less developed countries? † â€Å"Infant mortality is the number of deaths among live-born infants from birth to under age one† (Sidscenter. org, n. d. ). According to a National Vital Statistics Report in 2006, the leading causes of Infant Mortality in the U. S. were deformities, low birth weight, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, maternal complications, unintentional injuries, respiratory distress of the newborn, bacterial sepsis, neonatal haemorrhage and diseases of the circulatory system (Heron, M. P. , Murphy, S. L. , Xu, J. Q. , Kochanek, K. D. , & Tejada-Vera, B. , 2006). Studies show that in less developed countries around the world some factors contributing to infant mortality are economic development, level of educational attainment, level of female educational attainment and level of expenditure on public health (Nobles, J. , Shandra, J. M. , & London, B. , 2003). In underdeveloped countries around the world, many actions need to be taken to decrease the infant mortality rate. Because of low female education about pregnancy, unlike in developed nations, women are not aware of the importance of breastfeeding in the first six months of a newborn’s life, vital antibodies are given to the child through breastfeeding. Babies in underdeveloped countries who are supplemented with tap water are at risk of infection because of contamination due to the lack of sanitation systems, this means children can die from infection, or, more commonly, dehydration from diarrhoea. In countries with malaria carrying mosquitos and other disease carrying insects, the use of insecticide sprayed sleeping nets is available, but due to low income, the cost of these nets, around five dollars, is a large percentage of many people’s gross incomes (Balbierz, A. N. n. d. ). â€Å"The goal of these nets is the protection of sleeping infants from contractile diseases† (Balbierz, A. N. n. d. ). Vaccination is another important way to prevent disease and therefore, infant mortality. UNICEF developed a network of vaccine refrigerators and trained health care workers that were strategically placed in disease stricken areas of developing countries. † (Peck, P. , 2003). Nutrition for all people as well as mothers and infants needs to be addressed in these underdeveloped nations, prenatal and postnatal care, vaccination and health promotion would all help in reducing the infant mortality rate in many countries around the orld, as well as increasing the health a nd quality for life for all the people in these countries (Peck, P. , 2003). The Academy for Educational Development, AED, is an organization that is working hard to make infant mortality rates decrease, â€Å"each day 80 newborns die in Mali, every three hours a woman in Mali dies due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth† (Academy for Educational Development [AED], 2004). The AED has created a team of 20 people; including a mid-wife, paediatrician, statistician, economist, sociologist, and educator; these people have â€Å"reviewed both local and international surveys, studies, and reports to estimate the cost of inadequate maternal and newborn health services in terms of the number of lives lost and the economic impact on their country† (AED, 2004). Two ways this team of professionals plans to address infant mortality in Mali is by the ‘Reduce’ and ‘Alive’ approaches. The ‘Reduce’ strategy will look at mothers not seeking help in time, not being able to reach health care services due to lack of transportation, and the delay of help when they do reach hospitals or clinics. The ‘Alive’ strategy will look at the cleanliness of the delivery and the cutting of the umbilical cord, the wrapping of the baby in blankets and the cleaning of the baby after delivery, and breastfeeding lessons soon after birth. Breastfeeding is one of the most important factors in this strategy, especially because of the Colostrum which is produced in the mother’s mammary glands which helps build the infants immunity. Income, education and medical care are key factors in the infant mortality rate in underdeveloped countries, as well as community influence and its social and economic wellbeing, an infant needs support from family, community and the government to ensure infant survival (Buckely, K. A. , Koontz, A. M. , & Casey, S. , 1998). Infant mortality in developed countries is declining in recent years, in Australia the Infant Mortality Rate is higher due to the deaths among Indigenous infants. The decrease in the amount of deaths is largely due to improvements in social public health conditions, immunisation, and antibiotics. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome has been reduced due to the education of mothers in wrapping their children tightly and placing them on their back or side when sleeping (New South Wales Department of Health, 2008). The main causes of Infant Mortality in developed countries is eformities that develop during the growth of the foetus in the womb, disorders developed due to premature births and low birth weights, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, maternal complications during pregnancy, and respiratory distress in a newborn (International Medical News Group, 2004). Unlike in underdeveloped countries, lack of education and poverty is not as much of a prevalent cause for the death of infants, developed c ountries also have less exposure to diseases, especially ones carried by insects etc. However, when we look at the highest Infant Mortality Rates around the world, and discover that they are highest in poor and underdeveloped countries, we cannot assume its causes are only present in here. For example: the Indigenous people of Australia have higher Infant deaths because they are not educated as well as caucasian citizens, their involvement in the education system is often small and their socio-economic status is often low (Richer, K. , Godfrey, J. , Partington, G. , Harslett, M. , & Harrison, B. , 1998). All around the world developed countries have ghettos or poor areas, and in these areas similar conditions could be causes of Infant Mortality like in underdeveloped nations. Infant Mortality cannot be eliminated, but it can be combated and reduced significantly worldwide. Public Health issues are highly affected by poverty, to which there is no solution. Even though poverty does make the Infant Mortality Rate a lot higher, it does not mean the mortality rate discriminates to one class of people either. Infant Mortality is found in all income levels, urban and rural areas, in all countries all over the world. In 2004, the Institute of Medicine said that â€Å"a lack of health insurance coverage causes 18,000 unnecessary deaths per year† (James, J. S. , 2010) in the U. S. alone. This could be reduced significantly, and with volunteers and international cooperation, Infant Mortality Rates can be reduced. BIBLIOGRAPHY Academy for Educational Development. AED Advocacy Models Help Combat Infant and Maternal Mortality. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www. aed. org/News/Stories/reduce-and-alive. cfm Balbierz, A. N. (n. d. ). Infant Mortality. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www. cwru. du/med/epidbio/mphp439/Infant_Mortality. htm Buckely, K. A. , Koontz, A. M. , & Casey, S. (1998). Fetal and Immortality Review. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www. acog. org/departments/dept_notice. cfm? recno=10&bulletin=4752 Heron, M. P. , Murphy, S. L. , Xu, J. Q. , Kochanek, K. D. , & Tejada-Vera, B. Deaths: Final data for 2006. National Vital Statistics Reports, 57(14). International Medical News Group. (2004). Top five causes for infant mortality. OB/GYN News. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m0CYD/is_10_39/ai_n6078883/ James, J. S. (2010). Institute of Medicine Calls for Universal Health Insurance by 2010. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www. aidsnews. org/2004/01/IOM. html National Sudden and Unexpected Infant/Child Death & Pregnancy Loss Resource Center. Definitions. Retrieved March 28, 2010, from http://www. sidscenter. org/definitions. html New South Wales Department of Health. (2008). International rankings of infant mortality. Sydney: Report of the Chief Health Officer. Nobles, J. , Shandra, J. M. , & London, B. (2003). â€Å"Dependency, Democracy, Education, and Infant Mortality: A Quantitative, Cross-National Analysis of Less Developed Countries†. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Atlanta Hilton Hotel, Atlanta, GA Online . 2009-05-26 from http://www. allacademic. com/meta/p107575_index. html Peck, P. (2003). 11 Million Forgotten Children. Retrieved March, 29, 2010, from http://www. countercurrents. org/archive02-01150703. htm Richer, K. , Godfrey, J. , Partington, G. , Harslett, M. , Harrison, B. (1998). Attitudes of Aboriginal students to further education. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www. aare. edu. au/98pap/ric98095. htm