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Maternal Mortality: Puerperal Fever ami Puerperal Pyrexia.—In 1930,
10 deaths occurred in pregnant women, giving a rate of 7.3 per 1,000
births. This was an increase on the figure of 1929, when 5 deaths only
were recorded.
In accordance with the request of the Ministry of Health Maternal
Mortality Committee, reports on the circumstances of these cases were
forwarded to the Ministry.
The following is a summary of the results of inquiries:-
Aged 20. Spinster. Died in Infirmary of puerperal eclampsia. Admitted in
comatose state after delivery of stillborn child at home. Urine loaded with
albumen.
Aged 23. Died in Infirmary. Ante-partum haemorrhage, admitted as "accidental
haemorrhage "in a bloodless and grave condition. Caesarean section
performed, but patient sank and died on day of admission.
Aged 26. Spinster. Died in Infirmary of pyothorax inflammation of womb
following abortion. Inquest.
Aged 42. Died in hospital of septicaemia. Confinement complicated by
prolapsus uteri and asthenia; had severe haemorrhage prior to admission ;
child died following normal delivery; placenta pviæa, placenta manually
expressed ; severe post-partum hæmorrhage.
Aged 35. Died in nursing home of puerperal toxaemia. Patient had suffered
for many years from non-diabetic glycosuria. Normal confinement, but
placenta manually expressed.
Aged 41. Widow. Died on way to hospital, puerperal eclampsia. Inquest.
Aged 30. Died in hospital of secondary haemorrhage. Cæsarean section for
disproportion hydramnios.
Aged 34. Died in hospital of puerperal fever. Child born before arrival at
hospital. No midwife in attendance.
Aged 31. Died in Infirmary. Placenta prævia and rupture of uterus. Child
stillborn at home. Patient was admitted in a moribund condition and
unfit for any operative interference.
Aged 29. Died in hospital of puerperal fever. Pulmonary embolism and
pelvic thrombosis and peritonitis. Normal first pregnancy.
Puerperal Fever.—There were 6 cases, of which 4 ended fatally. The
four deaths occurred in hospitals, at which institutions the confinements
had taken place.
Although the Council provides the services of an obstetric consultant,
bacteriologist and nursing facilities for puerperal conditions, these services
were not requisitioned, as the cases in question were promptly removed
to hospital.
Puerperal Pyrexia.—A notifiable condition which includes any case
of temperature in the lying-in period reaching 100.4°F., which has
remained during a period of 24 hours or has recurred during that period.