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11
Perinatal Mortality
Perinatal Mortality (still-births plus deaths in first week of life
per 1,000 total births) 34.09
The majority of infant deaths now occur in the first week of life and
most of these deaths are due to factors operating during pregnancy and
birth. These are also the factors which tend to cause still-birth. The
Perinatal Mortality, which is the number of still-births plus the number
of deaths in the first week of life per 1,000 total births, is therefore an
index of the total mortality due to factors arising before and during birth.

*This is the Registrar-General's classification; but such conditions
as prematurity, birth injuries and other fatal conditions relating to the
process of birth are included under this heading.
The Infant Mortality Rate of 18.41 is the lowest ever recorded in
Westminster. Although it is to be hoped that this figure will fall still
further in future years, the numbers from which this rate is computed
are so small that fluctuations are likely to occur. For the first time the
infant mortality among illegitimate babies (17.69) is less than that for
legitimate babies (18.49). The former rate is very much lower than
that occurring in previous years; but it must be pointed out that it is
based on the occurrence of two deaths among 113 babies. The death
of one more illegitimate infant would have given an increase of approximately
9 points in the death rate, to 26-55.
(5442)
A 4