View report page

There was a further increase in the number of attendances at the ante-natal clinics
during the year 1944 over that of 1943. The figures have risen steadily since 1940, as would
be expected from the rising birth rate and it will be necessary to consider in the near future
the provision of further clinics for expectant mothers. The number attending at one session
has been as high as 31. These figures while showing a lower percentage of attendances of
expectant mothers in proportion to the total number of live births, are the more gratifying
since this year the enemy attacks were very heavy and frequently during the fly-bomb
period it was necessary to arrange for the expectant mothers to be in shelters during the
clinic times and brought into the clinic only in very small numbers. Delay was often
caused and it required a fair amount of goodwill and patience both on the part of the mothers
and of the staff, to keep this clinic up to the normal standard of efficiency.

Of the cases dealt with therefore 42 per cent. were primiparae (against 36 per cent,
in 1943), and of these 23 per cent, (against 75 per cent. in 1943) were confined in hospital,
while 32 per cent. (against 50 per cent.) of the multiparae were also confined in hospital.
Table XI in Appendix gives the chief abnormalities found during the year.
Child Welfare Clinics.
The attendances at the Child Welfare clinics during 1944 are shown in Table XII
in Appendix.
The total number of attendances at the Infant Welfare and Toddlers' Clinics during
1944 was 11,013, as compared with 12,852 for 1943.
These figures while showing a slight decrease on the total figure for 1943, are quite
satisfactory in view of the conditions prevailing as mentioned in the previous paragraph.
Also, the number of nursery children who were able to be inspected medically at the nurseries
without attending the clinics during the year was 180. These children who are under
constant medical and nursing supervision would have been clinic attendants and would
have, by their weekly or monthly attendances, swollen the clinic numbers considerably.
During the year Southall became an evacuation area and many expectant mothers
and children of all ages were transferred to the country. Most of these mothers would normally
have been clinic attendants.
11