U.S newborn death rate tied with Qatar

Babies in the United States have a higher risk of dying during their first month of life than do babies born in 40 other countries, according to a new report. Some of the countries that outrank the United States in terms of newborn death risk are South Korea, Cuba, Malaysia, Lithuania, Poland and Israel, according to the study.

Researchers at the World Health Organization estimated the number of newborn deaths and newborn mortality rates of more than 200 countries over the last 20 years. The results show that, while newborn mortality rates have decreased globally over that period, progress to lower these rates has been slow, the researchers said...