apalledandshocked
@MariposaLilly I see your point about life choices and maternal outcomes. However, it is interesting because I would have thought that you would have similar people making poor decisions in other countries. So, if that is the cause of the maternal death rates being higher in the US why do you think it is a much bigger problem than the UK/Germany/France etc? It cant be that Americans are more stupid than other countries (ridiculous stereotype) so why? (genuine question, not being goody)
Concerning my 'freedom to be stupid' remark. It was said in the same manner I would say that in America we have the freedom to offend, to be offensive, as in free speech. Here pregnant women and new mothers are left to their own devices. There are no follow-ups, no health visitors, no one making house calls. People are free to be totally irresponsible - to be stupid. There is also very little fear of having your baby/children removed as there is in the UK. From what I saw, no one corrected bad behavior and it was probably because they were too scared to. It is the same as going into dangerous neighborhoods to force good healthcare on them, or to tell them not to do drugs, drink and smoke.
At the prenatal clinic I saw a midwife try to give a bottle of prenatal vitamins to a woman and the woman said something like, 'I ain't got time for that shit' and walked off - and these were the women who were bothering to seek prenatal care! Bad attitudes were common. Mothers would bring their tiny toddlers to appointments and for lunch the child would get bags of Cheetos (cheesy puffs) or something similar to eat. As a recent immigrant from the UK I was shocked.
Many women arriving in full labor had never sought or received any prenatal care. I was told by a nurse that they had a few sets of mothers and daughters giving birth at almost the same time.
During my pregnancy I lived in the same area, had access to the same healthcare, yet I gave birth to a healthy 8lb 3oz baby. The head of obstetrics came to my room the next day "to see the woman who gave birth to the baby elephant". From what I was told it seems as if my baby's size and robustness was very unusual! My point is, it is not American healthcare's fault there's high infant and maternal mortality. As I found out, good care is available even at one of the worst hospitals in the U.S.
To another poster, I said, "his nurse" which seems to have offended. People here will also say the doctors receptionist or his/her PA. He hired her and she's employed by him, not the government.
I'm sorry women in the UK do not have access, under the NHS, to a gynecologist for a full annual pelvic check-up and instead have to settle for a pap smear from a nurse. I know pap smears are even limited and not done until a certain age - same with mammograms.
To reiterate. Good prenatal and obstetric care is available to U.S women, even very poor ones, but as they say, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.
I'm British btw.