April 30, 2024
American parents are more than four times as likely as their peers in Estonia to lose a baby during or shortly after birth. It is one of the most devastating human experiences – and a key indicator of a country’s development. After all, if even the most vulnerable babies survive, the healthcare system must be doing something right. By that metric, the US looks more like Chile or Slovakia than the global superpower it is.
And it’s not just babies who are more at risk in the US. A study from the Commonwealth Foundation found that American mothers are twice as likely to die during or shortly after childbirth than their Canadian peers, and more than 10 times as likely as women in New Zealand.
Part of the problem comes down to a shortage of care for expectant mothers. The US has about 15 gynecologists per 1,000 live births, compared to 54 in the UK and 78 in Sweden. That means less attentive care during and after pregnancy, which can lead to early warnings going overlooked.
More For You
- YouTube
On Ask Ian, Ian Bremmer breaks down the steady escalation of US pressure on Venezuela and why direct military action is now a real possibility.
Most Popular
Global conflict was at a record high in 2025, will 2026 be more peaceful? Ian Bremmer talks with CNN’s Clarissa Ward and Comfort Ero of the International Crisis Group on the GZERO World Podcast.
- YouTube
On Ian Explains, Ian Bremmer takes a look at the growing surge in global conflict and the ripple effects of so much violence, war, and armed struggle throughout the world.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents check the identity documents of a group of agricultural workers at a grocery store parking lot during an immigration raid in Mecca, California, U.S. December 19, 2025.
REUTERS/Daniel Cole
A year into US President Donald Trump’s second term, America’s immigration policy has undergone one of its most sweeping resets in decades.
© 2025 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.