I just read an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal, ” Why Is the Maternal Mortality Rate So High in the US?”

My law firm sues doctors and hospitals for medical negligence. Despite my job, I have close friends who are doctors and appreciate their many years of education, training, and hard work.  However, when a doctor tells me the US provides the best medical care in the world I just laugh.  I have seen far too many screwups resulting in permanent injury or death to agree.  The above article supports my opinion, at least as far as obstetrics is concerned.

The article mentions the tragic death of Olympic sprinter Tori Bowie during childbirth and uses that sad outcome to analyze the death rate for mothers’ in child birth in the US.  The statistics speak for themselves.

Maternal Death Rate per 100,000 live births by select country:

• Norway 1.7
• Australia 2.9
• Spain 3.4
• Japan 4.3
• Germany 4.4
• Italy 4.6
• France 7.9
• UK 9.8
• Canada 11
• Russia 13.7
• US 21.1

In short, the death rate for mothers in the US is the tenth worst death rate in the world!  It is more than seven times higher than the death rate in Australia.  It is the highest death rate for any “high-income” country in the world.

Don’t tell me we have the best medical providers and facilities in the world…the facts do not support that conclusion.