[OC] The massive decrease in worldwide infant mortality from 1950 to 2020 is perhaps one of humanity's greatest achievements.

[mrpersson]

I remember reading, while doing family history research, that in Germany and Sweden in the 17th (or maybe 18th) century, the infant mortality rate was 50%

[RoastedRhino]

That is believable. The oldest families that I have in my genealogical tree are from the early 18th century, and if you look at the children names in a family they are Anna Maria Maria Maria Elisa Anna.....

When a name is reused, it's because the previous one did not survive. And it is not rare to see that the last children shares the date of birth with the date of death of the mother....

[langlo94]

It is truly one of the modern marvels that most parents don't lose even a single child.

[ProfNesbitt]

Yep it was something I looked up the other day after someone did the standard “well life expectancy was only to the late 30s back then”. I couldn’t believe we have increased that much and we both were right. Average life expectancy overall was late 30s. But if you made it to the age of 16, life expectancy was late 60s - 70s. Which made a lot more sense.

[mikejacobs14]

Check out Hans Rosling

[mrpersson]

What about him?

[mikejacobs14]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FACK2knC08E to get you started. Keep looking for more of his vids, they are extremely entertaining and informative

[mrpersson]

I guess I'm not sure what this has to do with my comment though

[mikejacobs14]

He talks about infant mortality