It continues to astonish me to hear (presumably) smart people parrot this damn lie of statistics.

"The US has worse infant mortality than Cuba" and variations of that theme.

Never mind that a premature infant that dies within 24 hours in Cuba is marked in the "stillbirth" column. Never mind that a 25 week preemie who dies despite extraordinary NICU care in a US hospital is marked in the "infant death" column.

Yeah, our "infant mortality" is worse - because we count them as infants and not stillbirths!

Never mind reality. Never mind facts. Let's just parrot the same statistical LIE that advances whatever argument you emotionally favor.

Squaaawk! Infant mortality! Ssquaaak! Cuba! Squaaaaaaaaawk!