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Of the 18 infant deaths, 10 occurred in the first four weeks, giving a
neo¬natal death rate of 8.1 per thousand births which compares very favourably
with the rate of 17.7 per thousand in England and Wales in 1954. All
these ten children were born in hospital. None was older than three days
at the time of death, and the causes of death were:—
Severe congenital abnormalities 3
Prematurity:
(a) Toxaemia in mother (one with congenital abnormalities) 4
(1b) Cause unknown 2
Difficult labour 1
The two premature babies—there was no cause found for the prematurity—were
extremely small. One, twenty weeks gestation lived an
hour and weighed 1 lb. 14 ozs.; the other was a twin, weighing 2 lb. 6 ozs.—
the other twin being stillborn. With the knowledge that we have of these
cases it is difficult to say that this rate could be reduced, as in every case the
mother has had adequate ante-natal care.
Of the eight babies who died between one month and twelve months,
there was only one whose death might have been prevented—a baby who died
of pneumonia and gastro¬enteritis where the home care was very bad, the
family had been evicted for non-payment of rent a few weeks previously and
the child was living in over-crowded conditions.
Stillbirth Rate.
The stillbirth rate of 24.54 is higher than usual in this area. Six of
these births took place at home. All had ante-natal care, and it is not
possible to see in what way the stillbirth could have been prevented.
Of the 22 cases born in hospital, all except one were having good medical
attention. The mother who refused to co-operate with the hospital or the
clinic had toxaemia, which was the cause of her baby's premature birth and
death. This was the only death which one might have said was avoidable.