In addition, if you limit the data to single child births, eliminating twins and other multiple births, the US actually ranks number one for child mortality. Mu

In addition, if you limit the data to single child births, eliminating twins and other multiple births, the US actually ranks number one for child mortality. Multiple child births are inherently more risky, as are births to women over the age of 30. Due to wealth, cultural, and lifestyle factors the number of multiple-child pregnancies in the US is much much higher than in other countries. More American women choose to have children later in life and sometimes this includes fertility drugs which results in more riskier twin pregnancies. When you remove car accidents and suicides from the death rates, factors that are largely independent from the health care system, the US actually has the highest life expectancy in the world. A good source of info on this is the work of Scott Atlas. This econtalk includes a good look at the statistical biases in the micro rankings that get so much undue attention in the media. http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2012/07/scott_atlas_on.html http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2012/07/scott_atlas_on.html