Biomaterial Database

Trends in infant mortality in Scotland, 1970-1987. 1990

S K Cole, and M Smalls

Information and Statistics Division, Scottish Health Service Common Services Agency, Edinburgh.

Infant mortality rates in Scotland have fallen by 56.6 per cent from 19.6 per 1000 live births in 1970 to 8.5 per 1000 in 1987. The reduction has been more marked in the early neonatal period than at later ages. The causes of death, based on generally high post-mortem rates, have been examined in functional groups and the changes over time are described. Ninety per cent of neonatal deaths throughout the period reviewed were due to congenital anomalies, asphyxia or immaturity-associated conditions. Eighty per cent of post-neonatal deaths are now due to congenital anomaly or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The principal shifts in cause of death groups from infections and external causes in the 1970s to SIDS in the 1980s are described in detail and are probably related to improved recognition of the syndrome of sudden infant death, rather than to true changes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D007226	Infant Mortality	Postnatal deaths from BIRTH to 365 days after birth in a given population. Postneonatal mortality represents deaths between 28 days and 365 days after birth (as defined by National Center for Health Statistics). Neonatal mortality represents deaths from birth to 27 days after birth.	Neonatal Mortality,Mortality, Infant,Postneonatal Mortality,Infant Mortalities,Mortalities, Infant,Mortalities, Neonatal,Mortalities, Postneonatal,Mortality, Neonatal,Mortality, Postneonatal,Neonatal Mortalities,Postneonatal Mortalities
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007234	Infant, Premature	A human infant born before 37 weeks of GESTATION.	Neonatal Prematurity,Premature Infants,Preterm Infants,Infant, Preterm,Infants, Premature,Infants, Preterm,Premature Infant,Prematurity, Neonatal,Preterm Infant
D002423	Cause of Death	Factors which produce cessation of all vital bodily functions. They can be analyzed from an epidemiologic viewpoint.	Causes of Death,Death Cause,Death Causes
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000013	Congenital Abnormalities	Malformations of organs or body parts during development in utero.	Birth Defects,Congenital Defects,Deformities,Fetal Anomalies,Fetal Malformations,Abnormalities, Congenital,Defects, Congenital,Abnormality, Congenital,Anomaly, Fetal,Birth Defect,Congenital Abnormality,Congenital Defect,Defect, Birth,Defect, Congenital,Deformity,Fetal Anomaly,Fetal Malformation,Malformation, Fetal
D001237	Asphyxia	A pathological condition caused by lack of oxygen, manifested in impending or actual cessation of life.	Suffocation,Asphyxias,Suffocations
D012606	Scotland	The most northerly of the four countries of the United Kingdom, occupying about one-third of the island of Great Britain. The capital is Edinburgh.
D013398	Sudden Infant Death	The abrupt and unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant under one year of age, remaining unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history. (Pediatr Pathol 1991 Sep-Oct;11(5):677-84)	Cot Death,Crib Death,SIDS,Death, Sudden Infant,SID,Sudden Infant Death Syndrome,Cot Deaths,Death, Cot,Death, Crib,Infant Death, Sudden