Abortion, Infant mortality, Life Expectancy and Literacy: A Comparative Study of America and China - Essay Example

?Abortion, Infant mortality, Life Expectancy and Literacy: A Comparative Study of America and China Abortion, infant mortality, life expectancy and literacy are some key social issues which affect America and China. Although China’s economy is amongst the world’s leading; however, when it comes to social subjects it falls back in a marked manner. In terms of abortion rates, infant mortality rates, literacy rates and life expectancy, China has to cede to America. An affluent economy with thriving business, China also has another side: its dire poverty, Chinese health has been risked because of the culture, traditional practices, state of institutions and laws. Today, one of many horrific practices against the child, is that of abortion. Abortion is the premature termination of a pregnancy, killing the unborn child by ejecting it from the womb. Children are a sacred gift of life. As a consequence of abortion, untold unborn generations are decimated. The crux of this polemic touches on realms such as belief systems, the political legislation, religious tenets and human rights. The pro-life perspective argues that sanctity of the life of the child and the child’s rights, validates the humanity of the fetus, and promotes sustained anti-abortion legislation. On the other hand, the pro-choice perspective rallies for feminist’s rights, degrades the fetus to an agglomeration of cells until birth and agitates for the legitimization of abortion. Unfortunately the repercussions of abortion are manifold: the death of the mother, the death of the child, the guilt of abortion and medical complications which lessen the likelihood of pregnancy. The murder of the unborn child is a crime against humanity, as such is considered an act of infanticide. This social issue that arises from abortion pressures lawmakers to legalize a crime which ruins the motherhood experience and mars the psyche. This offense deprives the child of enjoyment of the beauty of life. With this violation against a child, death occurs as the fetus perishes. In 1995, the number of legal abortions in the USA summed to 1,365,700 with a 22.9 rate out of 1000 pregnancies of women aged 15-44; and a 25.9 ratio out of 100 known pregnancies. In that same year in China, 7,930,000 abortions are conducted with a 26.1 rate out of 1000 pregnancies of women aged 15-44; and a 27.4 ration out of 100 known pregnancies1 In 2007, China reports an abortion rate of 24.2 per 1000 women 15-44 years. Conversely in the United States, the abortion rate in 2007 stands at 20.8 per 1000 women aged 15-44 years2. In China, abortions are legalized and facilitated by the government for women. Also due to the overpopulation crisis in China, the One Child Per Family law mandates the lessening of number of members per household. One of the tragedies befalling motherhood is the experience of a child's death. Unfortunately, there is an undercurrent of tragedy because of high mortality of newborns not only during pregnancy, but also in birth. Death of newborns among pregnant mothers is still common worldwide. Infant mortality can be attributed to such factors as sudden death infant syndrome, insufficient nourishment, and contracted illness. In China the infant mortality rate among toddlers less than 1 year is 33.1 per 1000 live births from 1995-2000. From the years 2000-2005, the infant mortality rate among female babies drops to 31.9 per 1000 live births. For the male babies less than one year, the mortality rate is significantly less with a 23.6 mortality rate from 1995-2000 and 20.4 from 2000-20053. Information has been released stating that the majority of the causes of death among Chinese neonates are instigated by “pneumonia (15%), birth asphyxia (16%), birth complication (17%); congenital abnormalities (10%), accidents (11%) and sudden infant death syndrome (5%)4. In the USA, reported infant mortality is much less than that of China. The infant mortality rate among female American babies less than one year old from 1995-2000 is 7.3 per 1000 live births. Between the period 2000-2005, the infant mortality rate for the same group dropped to 6.8 per 1000 live births. Also during the 1995-2000 span, the American infant mortality for male newborns less than a year is rated at 7.6 per 1000 live births. For the years 2000-2005, the male infant mortality rate stands at 6.8 per 1000 live births5. The stark contrast between American and Chinese infant mortalities point to the conditions of health facilities, accessibility to maternal health facilities, the access of nutritive food for the pregnant mother and baby. The demographics of the U.S and China also inform on the population's life expectancy. Life expectancy indicates general longevity or the age to which the average person would live. From the World Bank census in 20096, China announces a general life expectancy of 73.1 years. This data shows an increase, since the life expectancy 4 years prior in 2005 measures 72.2 years. In 2000, the average Chinese lived to 71.1 years. This information reveals a growing life expectancy in China. In the U.S, the average life expectancy is higher. For 2009, the life expectancy for the American stands at 78.1 years; in 2005, 77.3 years and in 2000, 76.6 years7. The disparity between the life expectancy in both countries is discernible with an almost 6 year gap. Famine, drought, state of war, politics, epidemics, economy and health access are factors which greatly influence life expectancy. Life expectancy tends to be higher in countries with wealthy and stable economies that prioritize health care. The Chinese are counted among the longest livers in the world. Reasons for their longevity are adherence to Chinese teas and traditional medicines. In America, citizens have a proportionately higher life span when compared with the world because of the health care plans and the availability of medicines for the ageing.  America boasts high literacy levels, since, the average American gains access to basic and higher education facilities. Public elementary through high school education in America is mandatory and free of charge, therefore between 2005-2008, the literacy percentages of youth aged 15-18 in school numbered 100% for males, 100% for females, and 100% for the general population8. In the U.S. educational institutions are such that they are mostly sufficient and reach prerequisite standards to facilitate a successful afford higher education because of insufficient and substandard education facilities. The primary school enrolment ratio for American males is 98; for American females 99 and for the general public 99. The secondary school enrolment ratio for American males lies at 94; 94 for American females and 94 for the general population. On the other hand, college admission percentages stand at 67 for males, 97 for females and 83 general9. China also has a high literacy rate with 99% for young Chinese males, 99% for young Chinese females and 99% for the general population. The enrolment ratio for primary school is 111 for Chinese males, 116 for Chinese females and 113 for the general populace. For secondary school, enrolment ratios drop to 74 for Chinese males, 78 for Chinese females, and 76 for the general Chinese population. Finally, in tertiary education facilities, institutions report enrolment ratio for males as 22 for males, 23 for females, and 23 for the general population10. This marked decline shows that as education advances, some Chinese either do not have access to it or cannot afford it. One observes that a considerable divide is present since in China gender and educational levels impact to a great degree enrolment. Works Cited: Henshaw, S.K. S. Singh and T. Haas. The Incidence of Abortion Worldwide, Family Planning Perspectives, Vol. 25, 1999. . Accessed 06 December, 20011. Rudan, I. K.Yee Chan , JSF Zhang M. “Causes of deaths in children younger than 5 years in China in 2008,” The Lancet, 375(9720), 1083 - 1089, 27 March 2010. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60060-8 . Accessed 06 December, 20011. UN Data: A World of Information . Accessed 06 December, 20011. United Nations Statistical Annex: Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2009), World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision Accessed 06 December, 20011. World Bank, World Development Indicators: < http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/world- development-indicators?cid=GPD_WDI>. Accessed 06 December, 20011. Read More