In France and even in the pages of the New York Times, Emmanuel Todd is seen as something of a prophet. The French Anglo-phile has written a mega best seller, called The Defeat of the West. The book has done so well in France that it has been written up by Christopher Caldwell for the New York Times.
The calculation of infant mortality is highly variable. Each country has different criteria. I suspect the 'real' value for America is very different.