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22
It will be noted that there has been a progressive
decline in the rate since 1931, and due credit in some
measure may be ascribed to the efficacy of putting into
operation increased services for ante-natal supervision in
recent years. It would, however, be premature indeed to
herald this decline as marking the commencement of a
progressive fall to an era giving us a low rate of stillbirth
incidence. There are many factors to be overcome which
operate against this desirable state of affairs being attained,
prominent amongst them being the lack of appreciation by
the expectant mother of the prime necessity of adequate
ante-natal supervision.
It is of interest to note that of the 17 stillbirths during
1934, 13 occurred in the first pregnancy. A tabulation of
the causes of stillbirths are as follows:—
Complication at labour 6
Renal disease 2
Placental abnormality 1
Malformation 1
Cord abnormality 3
Toxaemia 1
Unknown 3
It is apparent from the above that adequate ante-natal
treatment could have prevented some of these stillbirths.
Deaths.
Death Rate 9.8 (crude). 9.5 (adjusted).
521 deaths were registered during 1934, being 32 more
than in the previous year. The adjusted death rate has
been arrived at after multiplying the crude death rate of
the area (9.8) by a comparability factor (.97) supplied for
the area by the Registrar General. This adjusting factor
supplied in respect of a given area represents the ratio of
the resulting death rate for the national 1931 census population
to the similarly obtained hypothetical death rate for
the area. The factor may be said to represent the population
handicap to be applied to the area, and, when
multiplied by the crude death rate experienced in the area,