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Distribution of Infant Deaths
Under one day 18
One/Seven days 6
One/Four weeks 3
One/Twelve months 10
Trends over the past 25 years show that the greatest reduction
has been made in the death rate for infants aged between 1 and 12
months. Neo-natal deaths and stillbirths have responded less
dramatically to our efforts.
The prevailing perinatal mortality rate (Stillbirths and deaths
in the first week of life) of 32 per 1,000 live and stillbirths for
England and Wales is considered by the Ministry of Health to be
too high, and compares unfavourably with some other countries,
e.g. Sweden. It is estimated that in England and Wales alone
the numbers of such deaths could be reduced by 5,000 per annum
by raising the general standard of care of the premature baby,
and by adopting all possible measures to prevent the onset of
premature labour.
Year Still births
At Home In Hosipital
Deaths in first week of life
Born at Home Born in Hospital
Perinatal Death Rate
Romford England & Wales
1961 6 34 3 2 1 31.9 32.2
1960 6 24 6 22 27.2 32.9
1959 12 17 1 19 24.7 34.2
1958 10 37 4 25 35.9 35.1
1957 11 24 3 20 30.0 36.2
There is a special baby care unit attached to Oldchurch
Hospital, for premature babies which serves the district
adequately.
The cause of premature labour is unknown in about 50 per
cent of cases, and in the remainder the most important associated
conditions are toxaemia of pregnancy, ante-partum haemorrhage
and multiple pregnancy.
Research on the causes of premature labour is continuing,
and investigators are suspecting from the cases where all too often
mothers appear to suffer from inadequate dietary that there is a
close relationship between foetal and perinatal deaths with maternal
protein deficiency.
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