Statistics on the Births of Premature Infants in Our Clinic

A statistical observation study was conducted on 533 cases of premature babies at this clinic, during 12 years from April, 1955 through March, 1967. The following results were obtained from this observation. 1) The incidence of premature baby is 10.5 per cent. 2) As to the birth rate of both sexes, it is a little higher in female. 3) In connection with the season, the birth rate was higher in winter and the mortality was higher in summer. 4) The weight of the newborn was above 2001g in 408 cases, 1500-2000g in 85 cases, and 1500g and below in 40 cases. The mortality was 6.4 per cent, 30.6 per cent and 62.5 per cent, respectively. The lighter the weight was the more unfavorable was the prognosis. 5) The shoter the duration of pregnancy was the higher were both the birth rate and the mortality. 6) The types of labors are shown as follows, sponsaneous 86.1 per cent, breech presentation 9.4 per cent, cesarean section 3.9 per cent, forceps 0.6 per cent. 7) As to the relation to the time of labor, the birth was 37 per cent in case of the primipara having taken over 15 hrs, of labor and 28.5 per cent in case of the multipara having taken less than 5 hrs. It was highest in each case. 8) As to the relation to the complication of labor, the birth rate was 9.4 per cent in case of the anomalies of presentation on the fetal side while on the maternal side it was 35.3 per cent in case of toxemia of the pregnancy. 9) The death of premature babies within one day after birth occurred in 35.1 per cent.