Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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The relevant section of the Act lays down that it is the duty of the
father of the child or of any person in attendance upon the mother
at the time of, or within thirty-six hours after the birth, to give
notice in writing of the birth to the Medical Officer of Health of
the district in which the child is born, and any person who fails
to give notice of a birth in accordance with the Act shall be liable
to a penalty.
Maternal Mortality.
There were 13 deaths directly due to pregnancy, as compared
with 12 in 1933. The maternal mortality rate was consequently
3.9 per 1,000 total births, compared with 3.8 per 1,000 in 1933.
In other words, one mother died for every 300 living babies born.
The deaths directly associated with pregnancy were caused
by: Puerperal Eclampsia, 3 cases; Puerperal Septicemia, 5
cases; Ectopic Gestation, 1 case; Placenta Praevia, 2; Shock, 1;
Atrophy of Liver, 1.
In the Table below only deaths directly due to pregnancy are included.
Table II.
Puerperal Toxaemias. | Hæmorrhages. | Other Causes. | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
YEAR. | BIRTHS. | Puerperal Infection. | Eclampsia. | Hyperemesis. | Ectopic Gestation. | Placenta Praevia. | Post-partum Haemorrhage. | Pulmonary Embolism. | Caesarian Section. | Shock. | Heart Disease. Syncope. | Renal Trouble. | Other Causes. | TOTAL. | Maternal Mortality. | Infant Mortality. |
1919 | 2965 | 5 | 1 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 6 | 2.0 | 73 |
1920 | 4351 | 6 | 2 | ... | ... | 2 | ... | 2 | ... | ... | 3 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 4.1 | 63 |
1921 | 3631 | 4 | 2 | ... | ... | 1 | 2 | ... | ... | 2 | ... | 3 | ... | 14 | 3.9 | 74 |
1922 | 3505 | 8 | 1 | ... | ... | 1 | 1 | 1 | ... | ... | 2 | ... | 1 | 15 | 4.3 | 64 |
1923 | 3373 | 4 | 2 | ... | ... | 1 | ... | ... | 2 | ... | ... | ... | 1 | 10 | 3.0 | 52 |
1924 | 3456 | 2 | 1 | ... | ... | ... | 3 | 2 | ... | ... | 1 | ... | ... | 9 | 2.6 | 56 |
1925 | 3406 | 5 | 1 | ... | ... | ... | 3 | 2 | 1 | ... | ... | 1 | ... | 13 | 3.8 | 55 |
1926 | 3477 | 13 | ... | ... | ... | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ... | 3 | 24 | 6.9 | 61 |
1927 | 3174 | 5 | ... | ... | ... | 1 | ... | 1 | ... | ... | ... | 1 | 1 | 9 | 2.9 | 55 |
1928 | 3374 | 2 | 4 | ... | ... | ... | 1 | 3 | ... | ... | ... | ... | 3 | 13 | 3.9 | 53 |
1929 | 3399 | 4 | ... | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ... | ... | ... | ... | 1 | 11 | 3.2 | 65 |
1930 | 3514 | 1 | ... | ... | ... | ... | 2 | 1 | ... | ... | ... | ... | 3 | 7 | 2.0 | 48 |
1931 | 3400 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 23 | 6.2 | 57 |
1932 | 3311 | 2 | 3 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 1 | ... | ... | 1 | 7 | 2.1 | 49 |
1933 | 3147 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ... | ... | 1 | ... | ... | ... | 1 | 1 | 12 | 3.8 | 47 |
1934 | 3185 | 5 | 3 | ... | 1 | 2 | ... | ... | ... | 1 | ... | ... | 1 | 13 | 3.9 | 46 |
82 | 25 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 17 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 19 | 204 |