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 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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COMPARATIVE TABLE OF BIRTHS AND DEATH RATES
| Live Births | Still Births | Deaths | Infant Mortality | Neonatal Mortality | Early Neonatal Mortality | Perinatal Mortality | Maternal Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 17.2 | 14.8 | 11.2 | 18.3 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 25.4 | 0. 2 |
| Greater London | 15.8 | 13.3 | 10.9 | 18.4 | 12.9 | 11.1 | 24.2 | 0.3 |
| Inner London Boroughs | Not available | 13.5 | Not available | 19.8 | 13.5 | 11.5 | 24.9 | 0.4 |
| London Borough of Hackney | 19.7 | 12.9 | 12.0 | 19.9 | 14.9 | 11.7 | 24.4 | 0.6 |
| London Borough of Islington | 17.5 | 14.3 | 10.9 | 18.4 | 12.3 | 10.8 | 25.0 | 0.7 |
| London Borough of Tower Hamlets | 15.3 | 16.6 | 12.3 | 17.2 | 11.3 | 8.9 | 25.3 | 0.3 |
CARE OF PREMATURE BABIES
The number of premature babies born in the Borough during the year was
473, only four less than in 1966. Of these 40 were stillborn. By far the
greater number were born in hospital, only 28 being born at home. It is now
well recognised that when a mother goes into premature labour before the
thirty-eighth week of pregnancy, special methods of resuscitation and care
will probably be needed for the baby, and the confinement should therefore
take place in hospital. Only in a very few instances is there too little time
to allow this to be done.
It will be seen from the table below that the number of babies who survive is much greater in those of over 3 lb. 4 ozs., i.e. 94% as against 41%, those with very low birth weights being at greater risk by reason of their immaturity; about two-thirds of those weighing under 3 lb. 4 ozs. died before the twenty-eighth day of life.
| Weight at birth | Premature live births | Premature stillbirths | Total premature live and still births | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in hospital | Born at home | ||||||||
| Total births in hospital | Died | Born | |||||||
| Within 24 hours of birth | In 1 and under 7 days | In 7 and under 28 days | Nursed entirely at home | Transferred to hospital on or before 28th day | In hospital | At home | |||
| Up to and including 3 lb. 4 ozs. | 54 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 1 (a) | 1 (b) | 16 | 1 | 73 |
| Over 3 lb. 4 ozs. and up to and including 5 lb. 8 ozs. | 352 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 20 (c) | 6 | 22 | - | 400 |
| Total | 406 | 35 | 11 | 6 | 21 | 7 | 38 | 1 | 473 |
(a) This baby died within 24 hours.
(b) This baby died in under 7 days.
(c) One of these babies died in under 7 days.