London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Wimbledon 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
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The perinatal death rate (i.e. stillbirths and deaths of infants under
1 week) was 32.0 per thousand live and stillbirths, while that for England
and Wales was 29.3.
The perinatal death rate is now looked upon with increasing importance
as perinatal deaths account for eighty per cent of the total loss of infant
life from the twenty eighth week of pregnancy to the end of the first year
of life. It will be noted that of the 25 infant deaths in Wimbledon,
15 occurred in the first week of life. The most promising way to reduce
infant mortality is by concentrating on the prevention of perinatal deaths.
The following table shows the cause of the 25 infant deaths which occurred during 1963, together with the age at death.
| Under 1 week | 2-3 weeks | Total under 4 weeks | 1-3 months | 3-6 months | 6-9 months | 9-12 months | Total deaths under 1 year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congenital defect or birth injury | 4 | 1 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 5 |
| Prematurity and atelectasis | 9 | - | 9 | - | - | - | - | 9 |
| Acute asthma | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Pneumonia | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | 6 |
| Tonsillar sarcoma | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| Congenital heart disease | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| Heart failure | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| Haemophilous influenzal meningitis | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Totals | 15 | 1 | 16 | 6 | 2 | - | 1 | 25 |
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