Abstract

The British Birth Survey included 98% of all deliveries in Great Britain in one week of April 1970. For this report, singleton births to 934 Single (never-married), 301 Once-married (widowed, separated or divorced) and 15 225 Married mothers were compared. After allowing for maternal age, parity and smoking history, there was still a reduction in birth weight in the two unmarried groups, which was mainly associated with pre-term gestation rather than growth retardation. Perinatal mortality was considerably elevated, especially for the Once-married. The excess mortality was mainly among the 'Macerated normally formed stillbirths' and 'Asphyxia' categories of the Wigglesworth classification.