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41
The Birth Rate for the year, calculated on the figure of 3,715
live births, is 16.10 per 1,000 of the population, 0.01 lower than that
computed for 1965. With an area comparability factor of 1.04, an
adjusted rate of 16.74 is returned compared with 17.7, the figure for
England and Wales and for the Greater London area also.
Illegitimate Births
The degree of illegitimacy is usually evaluated by calculating
illegitimate births as a percentage of total live births. This is satisfactory
for the short term assessment but if the legitimate rate is
declining and the illegitimate remains constant, there will be an
apparent but not necessarily a real increase in illegitimacy.
It would appear generally to be the case that illegitimacy is
greatest when social standards, cultural and material, are low and,
collectively, factors such as an insecure family life, poor and overcrowded
homes, lack of direction and personal drive in life, etc.,
seem to be implicated.
In London, rates tend to be higher than that for the country
as a whole possibly by reason of a higher proportion of single
females but very probably because of its compelling attraction to
pregnant women who find not only anonymity but better facilities in
the ante-natal, maternity, social and welfare fields.
Illegitimate births in Greenwich during the current year numbered
320, equivalent to 8.6% of all live births registered, an increase of
0.2% over that for the previous year. In effect this means that one
baby in every twelve born of Greenwich residents was illegitimate.
Even so, this situation was the most favourable of all the Inner
London Boroughs whose average illegitimacy was 14.5%. Figures
for the Greater London area and for England and Wales were 10.9%
and 7.9% respectively.
Stillbirths
There has been a steady reduction of the stillbirth rate in England
and Wales from the 1930 figure of 41 to the present rate of 15.4.
Recent studies instituted by the Medical Research Council,
et al, have confirmed that the mother's age, parity and social class
were found to be significant factors affecting stillbirths. Furthermore,
improvements in this field were most marked in the higher social
classes.
Registered Greenwich stillbirths numbered 59 (28 males—
31 females) which is equivalent to a rate of 15.63 per 1,000 total
births, a decrease of 5.92 from that for 1965. Greater London
returned a rate of 14.2 and that for England and Wales was 15.4.
All stillbirths must be registered in accordance with the Registration
Service Act of 1953 as amended by the Population (Statistics)
Act, 1960, and must be accompanied by a statement as to cause.