HC Deb 29 November 1982 vol 33 cc80-1W
Mr. Wardell

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the perinatal and infant mortality rates, respectively, for each social class where babies were born into married households in England for each year since 1978.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

The available information for such births in England is as follows:

Perinatal and Infant Mortality Rates by Social Class (Legitimate Births) England 1979 and 1980
Social Class of Father
All I II III IV V
Perinatal mortality rate*
1979 14.0 10.2 11.9 14.0 16.3 18.2
1980 12.9 9.7 11.1 12.8 15.0 17.5
Infant mortality rate
1979 11.9 9.9 9.8 11.0 14.4 18.4
1980 11.2 8.9 9.4 10.5 13.6 16.5

* Stillbirths and deaths in the first week of life per thousand total births

Deaths of infants under one year per thousand live births

Includes residual social groups not ascribed to social classes I-V

Note: Social class data for 1979 and 1980 cannot be strictly compared with earlier years because of the introduction of the 1980 classification of occupations. The table below shows the effect of the change on England and Wales rates.

Perinatal and Infant Mortality Rates in 1979 by 1970 and 1980 Social Class Classifications (Legitimate Births) England and Wales
Social Class of Father
All I II III IV V
Perinatal mortality rate
*14.0 10.7 11.8 14.0 16.4 19.0
Social Class of Father
All I II III IV V
*14.0 10.3 11.8 14.0 16.5 18.7
Infant mortality rate
11.8 9.7 9.7 11.1 14.1 19.9
11.8 9.8 9.7 11.0 14.3 18.7

* Classified using 1970 classification of occupations

Classified using 1980 classification of occupations

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