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18
Still Births
A total of 36 still births was registered during the year giving a still
birth rate of 11.6 per 1,000 live and still births, which compares favourably
with the rate of 14.8 for England and Wales.
Infant Mortality
During the year 53 (28 male and 25 female) infants living in the
district, or born to mothers ordinarily resident here, died under one year
of age. This was an increase of fifteen on the figure for 1966 and with
3,103 live births gives an infant mortality rate of 17.0 compared with
that of 12-0 in 1966. The rate for England and Wales as was 18.3.
Forty-six, or approximately 87%, of these infant deaths occurred
during the first four weeks of life giving a neo-natal mortality rate of
14-8 per thousand live births. Thirty-nine of these neo-natal deaths
occurred during the first week of life, prematurity being the main cause
of death. These early neo-natal deaths, combined with the still births give
a peri-natal mortality rate of 23.9 per thousand live and still births
compared with a rate of 22.5 for 1966. Knowledge gained over the years
and applied to the care of the expectant mother has been effective in
reducing the overall mortality in infants. However, consideration of
statistics shows that there has been little or no lowering in the percentage
of deaths occurring in the neo-natal period. Here, as before, the main
causes of death are given as prematurity and congenital malformations.
An obvious danger period is during the first three months of pregnancy
when any "interference" with the developing foetus by viral, drug or
other toxic agents could have disastrous effects on the infant eventually
delivered at term. Some of these problems may be overcome by even
greater care in the early ante-natal period and also immediately prior to
confinement, but much work and research is still required to try and
elucidate the factors associated with the causation of congenital malformations.
Maternal Mortality
No deaths occurred during 1967 due to causes associated with
pregnancy and childbirth.
Deaths
The total number of deaths of residents of the Borough was 2,058
giving a death rate of 9.9 per 1,000 population. Liability to death varies
at different ages and also between the sexes. Accordingly, to offset the
effect of these variations and so produce a rate which can be used for
comparison purposes with other districts in the country as a whole, the
Registrar General calculates for each district a comparability factor which,