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Loss of Infant Life
In 1954 the infant death rate fell to 20 per 1,000 live births—
the second lowest figure yet recorded in Barking. Whilst you will be
pleased at this, I must warn you that, with relatively small numbers,
rates such as these are bound to fluctuate somewhat and there may
well be an upward swing again next year.
Of the 20 deaths occurring under the age of 1 year, no fewer
than 16 were "neonatal" deaths and all took place within 1 week of
birth mainly from such causes as heart failure and collapse of the
lungs associated with prematurity. Add these 16 neonatal deaths to
the 29 still-births and we have 45 babies who died before or soon
after birth for reasons (let us admit) which we do not fully understand,
Contrast these with the 4 babies who died later in their first year of
life and you will realize (as I pointed out last year) that no material
improvement can be expected through the efforts of your infant welfare
services. We need research into the causes of these "peri-natal"
deaths, and then we shall have to apply the knowledge in our antenatal
clinics and the maternity hospitals. We have already helped
the National Birthday Trust Fund with one such investigation into
the reasons for premature births, but unfortunately their preliminary
report, issued during the year, gave few clues as to the causes.
Their findings confirmed that premature births were more likely
to occur in wives of unskilled workers, and also that they more frequently
occurred in younger mothers (under the age of 21) or in those
in the later stage of reproductive life (over 30 years).
Whatever benefits were conferred by adequate ante-natal care,
prevention of prematurity was apparently not included, whilst employment
during pregnancy appeared not to affect the prematurity rate.
It was pointed out, however, that this study related only to mothers
having a first baby, and that many of these were living with parents
or in-laws and had few domestic responsibilities. Later studies of
women undertaking both full household duties and outside employment
may tell another story.
Other findings were that shorter mothers tended to have premature
babies, and that there was a similar tendency amongst those who found
it difficult to conceive. Both points are interesting but difficult to
apply directly to the problem of preventing prematurity.
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