PUBLIC HEALTH ASPECTS OF PROBLEMS OF CURRENT INTEREST IN NEONATAL PEDIATRICS

Abstract

The salient facts regarding fetal, neonatal and infant mortality in the United States are presented, using the most recent national figures available, or those from other large population groups. A plea is made for the use of perinatal mortality rates in order to obtain a better picture of the success of current programs designed to reduce infant loss. Six areas for future attack are suggested: 1. Development of several research institutes to study the problems of human reproduction from a multidiscipline approach. 2. An organized program to raise standards of care in all lying-in hospitals with particular emphasis on activities which can be carried on by nurses and doctors at the local level. 3. Further experimentation with and development of ways to supply better service or pay for medical care for certain groups. More attention could be paid to regional plans whereby services of large medical centers are brought to smaller, less well cared for areas; to hospitalizing women with previous history of or current complications of pregnancy, including labor; to providing expert pediatric and obstetric consultation more freely, to supplementing the prenatal diet, et cetera. 4. Acceleration of activities which bring about closer cooperation between obstetric and pediatric services with full cooperation of general practitioners, nurses, nutritionists and all those involved in the care of mother and baby. More local studies of neonatal deaths with the studies used as the basis for community action and professional education. 5. Development of better prenatal service for all mothers in the local community. 6. Continued experimentation with methods of solving the many social problems created by the low economic and social status of those families which contribute so heavily to fetal and neonatal mortality rates today.