1 School of Public Health, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan
This year's summary of vital statistical data of particular interest to pediatricians is later than usual because the increased complexities of compiling and issuing the data on which the report is based imposed an unexpected delay. As has been noted in previous years,1 the data on which these reports are based are issued by the National Center for Health Statistics and the fundamental material comes from the "Annual Summary for the United States, 1969: Births, Deaths, Marriages and Divorces," published this year October 21, 1970.2 In partial compensation for the delay, more up to date information is possible on the monthly trends during the year 1970 from the report published October 27, 1970.3