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
Sutton 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Sutton]
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This table emphasises the serious loss of infant lives associated with prematurity and during the first month of life. The size of the problem can most simply be shown as follows:
| Total | Non Premature | Premature* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live births | 2515 (2450) | 2380 (2302) | 135 (148) |
| Deaths among live births in the first month of life | 29 (28) | 10 (11) | 19 (17) |
| Still births | 26 (32) | 14 (16) | 12 (16) |
CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES
It is a responsibility of the Medical Officer of Health to
submit a confidential report in standard form to the Registrar General
on congenital abnormalities detected at or shortly after birth.
A standard form of birth notification is used in the area which provides
for the notification of congenital abnormalities and factors calculated
to put the infant 'at risk' when these are detected at birth.
Similarly, reports submitted by hospital maternity units and domiciliary midwives on patients discharged from their care after confinement are in standard form providing for the easy recording of congenital abnormalities and 'at risk' factors.
| 1966 | 1967 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total children born with abnormalities | 75 | 85 |
| Number of those who were stillborn | 5 | 1 |
| Number of those bom alive who died within ten days | 8 | 7 |
| Number born with Serious defects | 34 | 25 |
| Number which were of a comparatively minor nature | 41 | 60 |
* The Ministry of Health's definition of a premature birth is one when
the infant at birth weighs 5l½ lbs or less.
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