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100
The number of these deaths is still too high. The figures
compare favourably with those for the rest of England, but then
the figures for the whole country are too high.
It is to be noted that two of the three maternal deaths occurring
in 1930 were of young, unmarried, pregnant women of the age of
17 years, and one cannot help feeling that if Society were readier .
to help rather than to ostracise these unmarried pregnant women,
they would not be so likely to conceal their pregnancies.
It is obvious that a concealed pregnancy is a more risky one
both for the mother and for the child, so that this concealment,
which takes place often for the want of a helping hand, becomcs
a crime on the part of the mother, not only against herself but
against her unborn child.
GO. NEO-NATAL MORTALITY.
Of the 49 children who died under the age of one year, no less
than 24 of these died under the age of one month—i.e., 48.9 per cent.
Of these 24 children, 16 were female and 8 male.
Of the 24 deaths 10 were due to premature birth and debility
and 8 were due to congenital malformations, the remaining G being
due to various causes.
Your activities in maternity and child welfare have not had
the profound influence on the number of deaths of infants under
the age of four weeks that they have had on the number of deaths
of infants between one month and twelve months of age.
It is now generally believed that these neo-natal deaths can
only be materially influenced by more intensive and efficient antenatal
work, and these 24 deaths show you that you have realms to
conquer in this direction.