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Maternal Mortality
Statistically, maternal deaths should be related to all those
women who are pregnant during the period of the review. However,
as this is impractical (for miscarriages are not registerable and
many pregnancies are terminated unbeknown to the authorities),
the extent of maternal mortality is measured against the total of
live and stillbirths registered which gives a reasonably accurate
basis for enumerating pregnancies during the interval of assessment.
Maternal mortality is conveniently defined as the number of
women dying from complications of pregnancy, childbirth or
puerperium during the year. This is then related to the number of
live and stillbirths during the same period to give the maternal
death rate. Abortion, because of the possible criminal element, is
often excluded but, when included, the fact should be stated.
Studies have shown that expectant mothers on a poor pre-natal
diet become greater obstetric risks and the incidence of miscarriages,
stillbirths and premature births increases. Moreover,
the offspring of such mothers appear more prone to illness and
infection subsequently.
No maternal deaths were recorded for Greenwich during the
current year compared with 2 for 1969. For England and Wales
the rate (ex. abortion) was 0.14 and for Greater and Inner London
respectively rates of 0.17 and 0.25 were returned. An abortion