View report page

births. 3
III. BIRTHS : NATALITY.
(See Tables 1 and 2.)*
In 1920 the corrected number of births was 3,413, equal to a rate of 22-73 per 1,000 persons—the
maximum both as regards number and rate for the Borough. Since that year there has been a fairly
steady fall in the number of births, the total for last year (2,620—males, 1,347 ; females, 1,273) being
equivalent to a reduction of 23 per cent, in the annual output of children. In comparison with the
annual average for the years 1918-22 last year's total shows a fall of 57 only and the rate no change.
In comparison with 1922 smaller totals were recorded in 5 out of the 8 Wards, viz., Queen's Park
(fall 11 per cent.), Harrow Road (8 per cent.), Lancaster Gate West (14), Lancaster Gate East (40), and
Hvde Park (9). When comparison is made with the quinquennial averages (Table 2), last year's
totals were above the averages in Maida Vale, Westbourne, Church and Hyde Park Wards. The
greatest increase (9 per cent.) was in Church Ward and the smallest (3 per cent.) in Hyde Park.
Of the 485 inward transferred births (18-5 per cent, of the corrected total) 92 belonged to the
southern Wards, viz., Lancaster Gate, West and East, and Hyde Park. In those Wards the inward
transfers formed just on 31 per cent, of the total of 300 births, the highest proportion, 34 per cent.,
belonging to Lancaster Gate, West.
The ratio of births of males to those of females was 1,000 : 944 last vear, as compared with 1,000 :
974 in 1922 and 1,000 : 993 in 1921.
Illegitimacy.—The 2,620 births included 212 of illegitimate children, equal to 8-1 per cent., 0-3
above the proportion recorded both in 1921 and 1922. In Harrow Road Ward the proportion was the
smallest (3-7 per cent.) and in Lancaster Gate, East the highest (19-1 per cent.). In the three
southern Wards, with a total of 300 births there were 52 of illegitimates, 17-3 per cent., while in the
remainder of the Borough the proportion was only 6 • 8 per cent.
The ratio of male to female births among these children was 1,000 : 812 last year, as compared
with 1,000 : 805 in 1922 and 1,000 : 1,000 in 1921.
Births in Institutions.—Of the 2,620 children whose births were registered during the year, 729
(27-8 per cent.) were born in institutions or nursing homes. The total of 729 comprised 455 children
(17-3 per cent.) born in maternity hospitals, nursing homes and rescue homes; 109 (4 • 1 per cent.)
born in general hospitals, and 165 (6-3 per cent.) born in Poor Law Institutions. The children born
in local institutions numbered 230 (31-5 per cent, of all births in institutions), the remainder (499)
being born in out-lying institutions, including 260 (35-7 per cent, of all institutional births) in Queen
Charlotte's Lying-in Hospital. Of the legitimate births recorded during the year 27-1 per cent, took
place in institutions, and of the illegitimate 35-3. In 1922 the corresponding percentages were:
Legitimate, 21 -6, and illegitimate, 54-2.
It was in 1913 that the first complete return of out-lying births (for 1912) was received from the
Registrar-General, and the compilation of statistics of births in institutions thereby made possible.
In that year (1912) the proportion of births in institutions—meaning any place, not being a private
dwelling, other than the home of the parents of the child—was 11-5 per cent., less than half the proportion
(27-8 per cent.) recorded last year. During the following quinquennium the proportion rose
to 13-7 per cent., and during the years 1918-22 to 21 -5 per cent.
Multiple Pregnancies.—The 2,620 births registered were the results of 2,591 pregnancies, there
being 29 pairs of twins. Of the twin births 20 were unisexual, 13 of males and 7 of females. The
other 9 pairs were bi-sexual.
The births registered during the two quinquennial periods of 1913-17 and 1918-22 were practically
equal. In the former period there were 165 sets of twins and 1 of triplets, while in the second the twin
• births numbered 153 and the triplets 2. The unisexed twins in the first period numbered 102 and in
the second 96. The number of boys born at twin-births during the 10 years was the same as the
number of girls, but among the triplets the proportion of boys was very different, 8 of the 9 children so
born (3 triple births) being males.
Notification of Births.—Excluding duplicates (47) 2,449 births were notified during the year,
122 fewer than in 1922, equal to a shrinkage of 5 per cent.—1 per cent, greater than the decrease in
the number of births registered.
Although the father of the child, if resident in the house at the time of birth, is primarily responsible
for notification, only 5-8 per cent, of the notifications were received from fathers. The proportion
of notifications received from medical practitioners increased from 33.9 per cent, in 1921 to 37.4
* The principal tables will be found at the end of the Report (p. 43 et seq.).