Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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48
Care of Premature Infants.—Of the 1,677 live births occurring in
Ilford during 1951, 83 weighed 5½ lbs. or less at birth; 22 of these babies
were born at home and 61 in Hospital (including 2 where the home address
of the parents was outside Ilford).
Of the 22 babies born at home there were:—
15 who were nursed entirely at home;
7 who were transferred to hospital;
Nil who died during the first 24 hours;
3 who died between the ages of one day and one month (all of whom
had been transferred to hospital);
19 who survived at the end of one month.
Of the 61 babies born in hospital there were:—
4 who died during the first 24 hours;
4 who died between the ages of one day and one month;
53 who survived at the end of one month (including the 2 where the
home address was outside Ilford).
In addition 44 notifications were received of births outside the district
where the ordinary residence of the parents was in Ilford and the weight of
the infant at birth was 5½ lb. or less. Of these there were:—
6 who died within the first 24 hours (all in hospital);
6 who died between the ages of one day and one month (all in
hospital);
32 who survived at the end of one month.
Infant Mortality.—The number of infants dying within the first year
of life was 50, the total number born being 2,376. The latter figure is supplied
by the Registrar-General for calculating infant and maternal mortality rates.
The infant mortality, or rate of deaths per 1,000 live births, was therefore
21-04.
The following table gives the deaths of infants under one year of age,
classified according to age:—
Infant Deaths—1951.
Cause of Death | Under 1 week | 1—2 weeks | 2—3 weeks | 3—4- weeks | Total under 4 weeks | 1—3 months | 3—6 months | 6—9 months | 9—12 months | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acute Meningococcal Septicaemia | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | — | 1 |
Asphyxia, Breech delivery | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | — | 1 |
Asphyxia, Occlusion cord, spontaneous delivery | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
Asphyxia, Placenta Praevia | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | — | 1 |
Atelectasis | 5 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | — | 5 |
Congenital Heart Disease | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | — | 1 |
Hæmolytic Disease | 2 | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | — | 2 |
Intracranial Hæmorrhage | 8 | - | - | - | 8 | - | - | - | — | 8 |
Other Congenital Disease | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | - | 1 | — | 7 |
Pneumonia | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | 2 | 7 |
Prematurity | 14 | - | - | 1 | 15 | — | - | - | — | 15 |
Suprarenal Hæmorrhage | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | — | - | - | — | 1 |
Totals | 36 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 40 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 50 |