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18
B(5)b. Ante-natal.
With the increase in the total number of births in the
Borough, and the fine opportunity for ante-natal education
provided by distribution of the extra clothing coupons for
expectant mothers through the Health Department, considerable
progress has been made during the year.
It should be noted that the issue of these clothing coupons
in this manner provides an unofficial notification of the pregnancies
within the district and in my opinion, is one of the
most valuable measures that has happened to the Maternity
Section of the department during the last few years. It enables
every expectant mother of the town to be informed in a
friendly unofficial manner of her nearest ante-natal clinic, to
meet before the confinement the Health Visitor in her district
who will eventually guide her through most of her subsequent
difficulties, and it enables advice and arrangements for the
actual confinement to be discussed and completed in good time
before the happy event.
The ante-natal sessions held weekly at the Bedonwell and
Picardy clinics have both continued to function satisfactorily
and the evening pre-natal clinic at the "Hainault" centre
established in 1940 has proved very popular and served a most
useful purpose. The attendance at the Bedonwell Centre has
continued to increase throughout the year and a second weekly
clinic at this Centre was therefore opened in August. With
the additional ante-natal attendances it was found necessary
to double the specialist clinics attended by the ante-natal
consultant from one each month to two monthly.