A Study of Premature Births in Hospital

Kerr, Margaret Mary (1956) A Study of Premature Births in Hospital. MD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

There is an excessive perinatal mortality associated with prematurity which is reflected in the national stillbirth and neonatal death rates. In an attempt to clarify some of the problems related to prematurity, an analysis has been made of the 1,955 premature infants born in the Glasgow Royal Maternity and Women's Hospital during the four-year period, 1949 to 1952. It has been shown that the perinatal mortality rate for this series of infants was 37.7 per cent. When the infants were grouped according to weight, the numbers in each group and the chance of survival were greater with increasing weight. In 42.5 per cent of the cases studied, there was no apparent cause for the onset of premature labour. The effect of social and economic factors on this group has been discussed. The commonest complications of pregnancy associated with the birth of premature infants were found to be the toxaemias of pregnancy and multiple pregnancy. The necessity of prevention of anoxia during labour and at delivery has been discussed. It has been shown that particular care is required with breech deliveries. The importance of as hyxia as a cause of death has been demonstrated. The high percentage of deaths occurring/ occurring within 48 hours of birth is evidence of this. Also, the importance of the prevention of infection should always be borne in mind. It is suggested that there are three distinct aspects to the problem of prematurity: 1. The prevention of premature labour. 2. The management of premature labour, particularly with a view to the prevention of anoxia. 3. The care of the premature infant. Of these aspects the most important obviously is prevention and there is therefore an urgent need for much more information on the aetiology of premature birth.

• Item Type: Thesis (MD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Medicine, Obstetrics
• Date of Award: 1956
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1956-79180
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 05 Mar 2020 11:32
• Last Modified: 05 Mar 2020 11:32
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/79180