Aspects of neonatal death in St Kilda, 1830-1930

Neonatal death (mainly due to tetanus) was common in St Kilda until 1891. Two aspects of this phenomenon are studied; factors which predicted death, and the impact of neonatal death on family building. Maternal age appeared to be a predictive factor for death of the first child, but only in children of high birth order were other factors, particularly the number of previous neonatal deaths, important. The first birth interval appeared to be determined mainly by the date of the first birth, independent of neonatal mortality levels. For later intervals, the neonatal death of the previous child appeared to be the main determining factor.