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
Hackney 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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28
THE CARE OF PREMATURE BABIES
The Borough is fortunate in having two large maternity units within its
boundary, both of which have fully equipped premature baby units. In the
infrequent cases where a premature baby is born at home, a special cot or
portable incubator is sent by ambulance, and a midwife accompanies the baby to
hospital. The results of the perinatal mortality survey carried out in 1958
showed that babies born more than two weeks prematurely are at a higher
risk than those born at full term. Special care needs to be given to all
babies whose birth weight is 5½ lbs. or less, or where the pregnancy ends
naturally or brought on artificially for a medical reason - before 38 weeks:
all such babies are regarded as immature. When early labour is imminent,
mothers are admitted immediately to hospital for delivery, where all facilities
for resuscitation and specially warmed nurseries and cots are available.
Out of a total of 497 premature live and still births notified in 1965 only 34 occurred at home or in a nursing home.
| Weight at birth | Premature live births | Premature stillbirths | Total premature live and still births | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in hospital | Born at home or in a nursing home | ||||||||
| Died | Born | ||||||||
| Total births in hospital | Within 24 hours of birth | In one and under 7 days | In 7 and under 28 days | Nursed entirely at home or in a nursing home | Transferred to hospital on/or before 28th day | In hospital | At home or in a nursing home | ||
| 2 lb. 3 oz. or less | 20 | 15 | 5 | - | - | - | 12 | - | 32 |
| Over 2 lb. 3 oz. and up to and including 3 lb, 4 oz. | 20 | 3 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 13 | - | 34 |
| Over 3 lb. 4 oz. and up to and including 4 lb, 6 oz. | 76 | 5 | 3 | 1 | - | 3 | 15 | - | 94 |
| Over 4 lb. 6 oz. and up to and including 4 lb, 15 ozs. | 92 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 99 |
| Over 4lb. 15 oz. and up to and including 5 lb. 8 oz. | 209 | - | 5 | - | 22 | 4 | 3 | - | 238 |
| Total | 417 | 23 | 13 | 2 | 23 | 10 | 46 | 1 | 497 |