Maternal age, illegitimacy, and postneonatal mortality.

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Abstract
Researchers examined the relationship between postneonatal mortality (PNM) and maternal age and illegitimacy using data from 1975-1985. In the United Kingdom, the main causes of PNM include sudden infant death syndrome (43.8%), congenital anomalies (18.5%), and all types of infection (164%), while from 1900-1975 infections were the leading cause of infant death. The results showed that for all mothers older than 20 years old the PNM rate for illegitimate infants was always higher than that for legitimate infants. For example, for mothers 25-29 years old the average PNM for illegitimate infants was 6/1000 live births and for legitimate infants it was close to 3.45/1000 live births. As for teenage mothers, however, the rates were the same and both the legitimate and illegitimate PNM rates were high (averaged approximately 7.5 deaths/100 live births). There has been a recent rise in the PNM rate in the United Kingdom, and the increasing illegitimacy rate (from 9% in 1975 to 19% presently) may have contributed to the growth in the PNM rate. Specifically, 60% of all infants born to teenage women are illegitimate. Traditional arguments addressing the lack of access to medical care do not explain this phenomenon since these women do indeed have access to free medical care via the National Health System (NHS). Statistics show that teenagers do use contraception, therefore this trend, especially among those in the inner cities, poses serious implications for the NHS.

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