View report page

compared to 14 during 1952, giving an infant mortality rate of 29.45 Per 1,000 live births,
as against 19.83 in 1952. Of these 21 deaths, 3 died at home and 18 in hospital. 16 infants
(8 male and 8 female) died within the first 4 weeks after birth. In Table VI, which gives
the causes of infant deaths under the age of 1 year, it can be seen that 9 of these infants
were born prematurely, 1 died of birth injury and 1 died of whooping cough. All of these
cases can be considered as preventable. 2 infants who died from other causes had also been
born prematurely and the question arises with regard to the premature infant deaths as
to whether ante-natal care had been insufficient to prevent this occurrence. Graph A,
on infant mortality rates, shows the trend of the infant mortality rate since 1900. The
infant mortality rate for England and Wales as a whole was 26.8.
Premature Infants
Forty-eight premature infants were born during the year and there were 9 premature
still births. 38 of these premature infants were surviving at the end of 1 month. Out of
the 48 born alive, 44 were born in hospital, 3 at home and 1 in a nursing home. Of the
premature still births, 7 were born in hospital and 2 at home. The classification of a
premature infant is given to a child born prematurely or which weighs less than 5½ lbs. at
birth.
Maternal Morbidity
Seven cases of puerperal pyrexia were notified. There was 1 maternal death, postoperative,
the first since 1950, and no deaths associated with abortion.
11