INFANT MORTALITY: Causes of Death During the First Year of Life in a Five‐year Series

Summary In the years 1966–1970 all together 17 805 children were born in Malmo (population about 260000). 141 were stillborns and 172 infants survived at most 6 days, which means a perinatal mortality of 1.74 %, and neonatal mortality within 6 days of 0.97 %. The infantmortality was 1.3%. These figures agree closely with Swedish vital statistics. 5.4% were LBW‐infants with a neonatal mortality of 13.3%. 231 infants died during the first year and necropsies were performed in all but 2. The main causes of death were malformations in 65 cases, haemorrhages in 31 and hyaline membranes in 61. In 38.children with a birth weight below 1700 g, post‐mortem examination revealed no morphologic changes except immaturity. Diseases of the mother and complications of pregnancy and delivery were more common among mothers of children with low birthweight. The causes of infant mortality in countries with a good standard of living are mainly severe malformations and complications of very low birthweight and short gestation period.