§ Mr. Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many children in each of the last 10 years per 1,000 live births suffered from neonatal hypoxia (asphyxia);
(2) how many children in each of the last 10 years per 1,000 live births suffered from haemolytic disease of the newborn.
§ Sir George YoungThe only information relating to numbers of children suffering from haemolytic disease of the newborn and from neonatal hypoxia is estimated from a 10 per cent. sample of patients discharged—including death—from HNS hospitals.
ESTIMATED DISCHARGE RATES PER 1,000 LIVE BIRTHS, ENGLAND AND WALES Year Haemolytic disease of newborn (ICD No.774,775) Anoxia and hypoxia* (ICD No. 776) 1968 3.5 8.4 1969 4.0 10.7 1970 3.8 12.5 1971 3.6 14.7 1972 3.6 17.3 1973 3.8 20.3 1974 2.9 24.5 1975 3.1 26.1 1976 2.8 26.8 1977 2.7 26.4 Notes:
Diagnoses on admission.
Unlike previous years, estimates for 1977 have been calculated using a factor of ten. Improvements in the method of sampling and data collections have removed the need for the detailed multiplying factors calculated for earlier years.
* Figures are not available for anoxia and hypoxia separately. A few cases of anoxia and hypoxia not assigned to ICD No. 776 are excluded. In 1977 these amounted to less than 2 per cent. of the total.