Register will help predict deformities

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33869, 14 June 1975, Page 21

Register will help predict deformities

From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, June 12.

Early warning of any significant change in the incidence of congenital ) deformities will be made possible under regulations gazetted today, according to the Minister of Health (Mr McGuigan). I

The new obstetric regu-) Jations, to take effect on; July 1, require attending! doctors to notify the medical) officer of health of all births, whether or not the infant is born alive, "By maintaining an obser-l vation register, the medical) officer of health will be in .a, position to provide services and follow-up care for ‘at; risk’ infants and also to: make predictions on the long-term treatment needs of infants with malformations,”) the Minister said. “I am confident this regulation will be) welcomed by the public as well as the medical profession. which has urged such a step for a long time.” Mr McGuigan said there’ had been a recent shift ini emphasis away from the problems of infection in ob-;

•Istetrics to the need for high[er standards of skill ‘‘Much more information 1 than is now available is I needed about congenital deformities and about children requiring special care,” he said. ) ‘‘Research into these probI lems must be stepped up and the notification of births •is a step in this direction.” The Minister said the new ; regulations had been thoroughly discussed by the ma- ) ternity services committee on the board of health. They had also been referred to 1.0 medical and professional organisations closely concerned with maternal and child care. “Comments and suggestions received from these or- ■ ganisations were carefully II considered and where appro- ; priate incorporated in the draft regulations.”