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49
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
REGISTRATION AND NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS.
The total number of live births registered during the year was
2,999, 1,571 male and 1,428 female. Of these 103 were illegitimate,
being a percentage of total births of 3.4.
2,005 births occurred in the district (1,958 live and 47 still
births). Of this number 249 (241 live and eight still births) were
to residents of other districts. Of the local confinements 1,568
were notified by midwives, and 437 by doctors or parents.
1,092 (1,055 live and 37 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.
51 male and 33 female still births were registered, being a rate
per 1,000 population of 0.44 compared with a figure of 0.55 for the
country as a whole.
Of the 41 cases of which particulars are known, in 7 there
was no definite cause, in 15 the reason was acute disease in or
accident to the mother (including 8 toxaemias), and in two others
the cause was maternal. Anomalies of the foetus, placenta or cord
accounted for 10 (5 due to congenital malformations and 2 to vicious
insertion of the placenta). Eight were due to death of the foetus,
seven because of prolonged labour, and one because of prolapse of
the cord.
INFANT MORTALITY.
150 (91 male and 59 female) infants died under one year of
age, constituting an infant mortality rate of 50.0.
94 failed to survive one month. The neonatal mortality rate
was therefore 31.1, constituting 62 per cent. of the total infant
mortality rate. Of these 94, 18 failed to survive the 24 hours, the
cause of death in 9 being prematurity, in 1 birth injury and in
another 6 abnormality or atelectasis. 35 deaths occurred in infants
who survived 24 hours but failed to survive 7 days. Prematurity
was responsible for 16 of these, birth injury for 3, developmental
abnormalities 3, and atelectasis 2. Of the 41 infants who survived
one week but succumbed before the end of the first month, in 13
the cause was prematurity, in 1 birth injury, in 8 developmental
abnormalities or atelectasis. Infections accounted for 17 deaths,
7 being due to gastro-enteritis and 10 to respiratory complaints.
Of the 23 deaths amongst those of 1-3 months, 2 were due to
developmental abnormalities, 1 to deficient inherent vitality and
2 to birth injuries. Respiratory complaints accounted for 5,
gastro-enteritis 5, and pyloric stenosis 3.
Infections accounted for most of the 34 deaths of those between
3 and 12 months, of which respiratory complaints were the cause