London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Holborn 1923
Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health, for the year 1923
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62
Ante-natal Hygiene.
Enquiries were made of every mother as to her attendance at an Ante-natal
Centre immediately previous to the birth of the child visited.
Of the 481 about whom information was obtained—
| 33 attended the Ante-natal Clinic at the Council's Centre. | |
| 19 ,, ,, ,, | Royal Free Hospital. |
| 29 ,, ,, ,, | Middlesex Hospital. |
| 18 ,, ,, ,, | Charing Cross Hospital. |
| 5 ,, ,, ,, | Myddelton Square Institution. |
| 5 ,, ,, ,, | University College Hospital. |
| 8 ,, ,, ,, | St. Bartholomew's Hospital. |
| 3 ,, ,, ,, | City of London Hospital. |
| 2 ,, ,, ,, | Queen Charlotte's Hospital. |
| 8 ,, ,, ,, | other Centres. |
| 4 ,, ,, ,, | received ante-natal care from the doctor engaged to attend the confinement. |
So that 134 received recognised ante-natal care, approximately one-third of the
whole number.
At the Council's Ante-natal Clinic 61 women attended during the year; of
these 42 were ante-natal cases,* and made 106 attendances; 19 others attended
after confinement making 28 attendances; 134 attendances were made.
Six of the ante-natal cases were expectant mothers for the first time; a number of the expectant mothers were found to have defects either due to or especially of concern in view of their pregnancy, the number and kind of defect present being as follows: —
| Contracted pelvis | 4 |
| Threatened abortion | 2 |
| Retroverted gravid uterus | 1 |
| Pendulous abdomen | 6 |
| Excessive vomiting | 8 |
| Varicose veins | 8 |
| Toxaemia of pregnancy | 1 |
| Albuminuria | 4 |
Other defects present were pulmonary tuberculosis 1; other respiratory
diseases 3; heart disease 1; anaemia 9; dyspepsia 9; constipation 20; dental
caries 27; other defects 6.
Seventy-one tests of urine were made for albuminuria; the urine of two of
the women showed a cloud of albumin. Dietetic advice was afforded and arrangements
made for their confinement to take place in institutions. Three presented
a faint trace of albumin, one due to back pressure from a somewhat weakly acting
heart, the other two women were near their confinement and the albumin was
due to pressure. In six other cases the presence of albumin (a faint haze only)
was ascribed to leucorrhea.
*One woman was pregnant twice in the year; 43 pregnancies were thus dealt with,