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I LLEGiTIMATE LIVE BIRTHS
The number of illegitimate live births during the year was 304 equivalent to 11,63% of the
total live births, compared with 12.48% last year The comparable figure for England and Wales
was 8%.
STILLBIRTHS
This year stillbirths numbered 34 equivalent to a rate of 12.85 per 1,000 total births
compared with 18 08 in 1968 The rate for England and Wales was 13.0
DEATHS
The number of deaths registered - 2,315, shows a decrease of 67 from the figureof last year.
The death rate was 12.31 and when adjusted by the comparability factor becomes 14.64 as compared
with 11,9 for the country as a whole The largest single cause of death was heart disease, 28%
of total deaths, followed by cancer 21% and respiratory conditions 18%.
The various causes of death and distribution by age groups are set out in Table 1, on page
81
INFANT MORTALITY
Deaths during the first year of life numbered 46 equivalent to a rate of 17.61 per 1,000
live births The rate for the previous year was 24.00 and 17.16 for 1967. Fluctuations occur in
years in the same decade but generally the downward trend continues: in 1931 the comparable rate
for the area was 77 per 1,000 live births and in 1921 almost 1 in 10 babies died before their
first birthday- The rate for England and Wales was 18.0 for 1969, Details of causes of death
at various ages under 1 year will be found in the Appendix on page 82 .
MATERNAL MORTALITY
There were two maternal deaths this year
NEO-NATAL MORTALITY
During the year there were 31 deaths of infants under 4 weeks representing a neo-natal
mortality rate of 11.86, the rate for England and Wales being 12.0, Last year there were 51
deaths giving a rate of 17.74 per 1,000 live births
PERI-NATAL MORTALITY
This term is used to describe the combination of stillbirths and deaths in the first week
of life expressed as a rate per 1,000 total live and still births, The rate for this year was
22c67 the rate for England and Wales being 23.05
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