Postnatal mortality decline could be explained as the result of the development of every organism. Three following arguments contradict such explanation.

  1) The mortality decreases in the category "Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period" (ICD8 codes: 760-779) until the age of 15. The decline of mortality rate was observed from the first day of life till older age in case of congenital anomalies (e.g. until the age of 50 in the category Spina Bifida, Anencephalus, Hydrocephalus and Other congenital anomalies of nervous system (ICD8 codes: 740-743). Clinical experience excludes the possibility of such a gradual and significant improvement in congenital anomalies (e.g. Spina Bifida or Congenital heart defects).

  2)The mortality decline with the first power of age for some dominant diseases begins after the first year of life (click here or here). These deaths usually are not attributed to a congenital defect. Mortality does not decline at all or it declines slowly during the first year or years in these cases. If the mortality decline results from a development of the organism then the development does not affect mortality rate during the first year or years, but the development lowers mortality rate later.... It is valid for the following diseases: Infectious diseases (ICD8 codes:000-139), Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases, and immunity disorders (ICD8 codes:240-259), Diseases of blood and blood-forming organs (ICD8 codes:280-289), Diseases of the nervous system (ICD8 codes:320-359), Diseases of the cardiovascular system (ICD8 codes:390-459), Diseases of the respiratory system (ICD8 codes:460-519) and Diseases of the digestive system (ICD8 codes:530-579). This set of diseases together is labeled as "Other diseases". On the other hand, mortality from congenital anomalies decreases along with the first power of age already from the first day of life. The development of the organism could not decrease mortality in the case of congenital anomalies from the first day of life while in the set "Other diseases" only after the first year of life.

  3) It is also difficult to explain why the development of the organism causes the decline in mortality exactly with the first power of age in the case of congenital anomalies and why the mortality declines along with the second power of age exactly in the case of the category "Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period" (ICD8 codes: 760-779).



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