View report page

64
Prematurity.
The remarkable decline in the infant mortality rate over the
last half century has not run parallel with a corresponding fall in
the neo-natal mortality, that is the deaths of babies before the
end of the first month of life.
One of the largest factors keeping up the neo-natal mortality
rate is prematurity ; this accounted for just under 50% of all
neo-natal deaths in 1949. A premature baby is defined as a
baby weighing 5½ lbs. or less at birth. While comparatively little
advance has been made in discovering the cause, medical science
has made great strides in the care of these babies and many more
survive than in former years.
In the latter part of 1948 and the beginning of 1949 a scheme
for the care of premature infants was prepared and adopted in
Area 7, now administered by the Middlesex County Council. This
allows for the loan of special equipment to those babies nursed at
home, including a special cot with hot water bottles and blankets,
draughtproof screens, a special feeding bottle and baby weighing
scales. Arrangements were made with the Resident Medical
Officer at Perivale Maternity Hospital by which the midwives
could call her in consultation if necessary. For those babies
who would be better transferred to hospital a special Oxygenaire
cot was provided so that they may be given oxygen and kept warm
during transit. All the Council's midwives attended a special
course of a month's duration at the Post Graduate Hospital,
Hammersmith.
During 1950 86 premature babies were born in Ealing. Of
these 14 were delivered in their own homes. The special equipment
available was freely used, not only by those delivered at home,
but also by those born in hospital and discharged home for special
care when home facilities were adequate. Two cases were visited
by the Resident Medical Officer at Perivale Maternity Hospital.
All but two of the premature babies born at home survived the
first month of life. These two babies were both extremely small.
One baby weighed 1 lb. 12 ozs. and was transferred to Perivale
Maternity Hospital in the special Oxygenaire tent but lived only
48 hours. The other baby weighed only 1 lb. 6 ozs. and lived
2 hours.
Of the 146 premature babies born to mothers resident in Ealing,
20 died before the end of the first month of life, a mortality rate
of 13.7% compared with 20.3% for the country as a whole for 1949.
Ante-Natal Exercise and Mothercraft Classes in Ealing.
Of recent years there has been a change in the attitude to
the suffering of women in childbirth. In the past pain has been