US AT BOTTOM (AGAIN) IN MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES

     Here in the Prozac Nation, outbreaks of mass-insanity are becoming increasingly common, as they historically do when a society is breaking down. These outbursts usually manifest themselves around some controversial issue which wouldn't even be a matter of debate in a sane society, while underlying or more serious issues get ignored but these absurdities are always dignified with some high-sounding stock phrase to give the illusion of importance.

    Last week, for example, the rage was all about the Donald Trump and Hunter Biden trials while the whole issue of egregious dysfunction in our Legal System was swept under the rug. This week, women's issues have resurfaced, the controversy surrounding two (so far) beauty pageants 'won' by contestants who---to put it mildly---weren't quite what we'd normally expect. The decisions obviously were made to incite controversy a make a statement because no rational person would justify either of them in any other way. 

   The State of Maryland decided that Gender Dysphoria was a positive role model for girls; while the State of Alabama stressed Morbid Obesity as a desirable feminine goal. Actually, I'm not sure why any young woman would want to participate in these events after these clown-shows, but outlets for positive femininity are becoming about as closed as their masculine counterparts these days. It's a common misconception in the Manosphere that women are valued more than men in our society, but this is an illusion based on a faulty perspective. Women are worth nothing in our society: men are worth less than nothing and this actually is the only difference. 

    As proof of this, let's look at a story which went ignored behind all of the online flame-wars, gender-bending, and general stupidity. For the third straight year, the US retains last place among developed nations in its maternal mortality rate. In fact, the percentage of mothers dying in childbirth is nearly twice as high as Chile, which is second-worst among the 37 OECD nations. 

   This isn't a phenomenon which only happened last week: the numbers have been crashing throughout the entire 21st Century, though neither our social influencers nor the political class seem to take much interest in it. In the year 2000---which had already seen some decline in previous years, the maternal mortality rate in America stood at 9.8 per 100,000 births; today that number is 22.8. In 2021, the numbers had hit as high as 32.9: but even since then, the rates of infertility and infant mortality rates have climbed which probably account for the modest decline. Native-born Americans are not even reproducing at replacement levels. 

    The study also showed an interesting statistic; 2/3 of maternal mortality happens postpartum---within a year---of giving birth. Those are causes of death referred to as complications of pregnancy. While it is true that addictions, obesity, and the generally poor condition of American health is causing much of the problem, poor postnatal care is also a contributing factor. 

    The reason behind this likely has to do with the structure of American healthcare. Obamacare essentially turned over the system to Big Pharma and the Insurance Cartels---which had already amassed considerable power over it under the Neocon policy of outsourcing social services and favoring monopolistic practices. Policies on pregnancy and childbirth are today centered on the most cost-effective options and patients are merely commodities. Postnatal care doesn't involve the subsidies or medical expenses that natal care does, and the latter already is done as cheaply as possible. As proof of this, it should be noted that the highest rates of both maternal and infant mortality are in so-called Red States where Crony-Capitalist control over healthcare is more pronounced.

    Regardless of the policy reasons however, it's sadly obvious that a culture which considers access to abortion and homo 'marriage' as sacred human rights isn't likely to concern itself much over things like maternal or infant mortality rates. Nor will an economic system which is essentially dehumanizing put much value on things like the miracle of birth. So our culture will probably go on fighting over challenging traditional gender stereotypes while things like femininity and motherhood continue to decline.