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39
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
REGISTRATION AND NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS.
The total number of live births registered during the year was
3,320, 1,711 male and 1,609 female. Of these 110 were illegitimate,
being a percentage of total births of 3.3.
2,096 births occurred in the district (2,039 live and 57 still
births). Of this number 201 (194 live and seven still births) were
to residents of other districts. Of the local confinements 1,393
were notified by midwives and 501 by doctors or parents.
1,368 (1,329 live and 39 still birth) notifications were transferred
from other districts, being mostly in respect of births occurring to
Harrow mothers in Middlesex County Council or London hospitals
STILL BIRTHS.
64 male and 43 female still births were registered, being a rate
per 1,000 population of 0.56 compared with a figure of 0.59 for the
country as a whole.
Of the 47 cases of which particulars are known, in 14 there
was no definite cause, in 15 the reason was acute disease in or
accident to the mother (including 12 toxaemias), and in two others
the cause was maternal. Anomalies of the foetus, placenta or cord
accounted for 9 (3 due to congenital malformations and 6 to vicious
insertion of the placenta). Nine were due to death of the foetus,
three because of prolonged labour, and two because of prolapse of
the cord.
INFANT MORTALITY.
128 (69 male and 59 female) infants died under one year of
age, constituting an infant mortality rate of 38.5.
69 failed to survive one month. The neonatal mortality rate
was therefore 20.8, constituting 54 per cent. of the total infant
mortality rate. Of these 69, 19 failed to survive the 24 hours, the
cause of death in 13 being prematurity, in 3 birth injury and in
another 3 abnormality or atelectasis. 36 deaths occurred in infants
who survived 24 hours but failed to survive 7 days. Prematurity
was responsible for 12 of these, birth injury for 8, developmental
abnormalities 10, and atelectasis 6. Of the 14 infants who survived
one week but succumbed before the end of the first month, in 2
the cause was prematurity, in 3 birth injury, in 4 developmental
abnormalities or atelectasis. Infections accounted for 5 deaths,
2 being due to gastro-enteritis and 3 to respiratory complaints.
Of the 28 deaths amongst those of 1-3 months, 4 were due to
developmental abnormalities, 4 to deficient inherent vitality and
only one to birth injuries. Respiratory complaints accounted for 10
and gastro-enteritis 6.