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13
Infantile Mortality.
The Infant Mortality Rate of infants under 1 year of age
for 1945 is 28.6 per 1,000 live births. This is a substantial reduction
on the figure for 1944, when it was 39.
25 infants under 1 year of age died in 1945 ; of these we may
note the following particulars :—
15 were inward transfers, died in hospitals.
10 died locally, 4 in hospital and 6 at home.
17 of the total died in the first week of life, and 8 between
the first week and 12 months of life.
14 deaths (56 per cent.) were due to prematurity, malformation
and congenital debility, indicating the great need for
complete ante-natal supervision.
In an endeavour to reduce the high mortality in infants
under one week of age, every expectant mother has an investigation
into the Rh factor ; Vitamin K is also provided.