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Towards the end of 1923 arrangements were under consideration
for the provision of meals for expectant and nursing mothers, which
it is hoped will be completed during the current year.
Ante-natal Work.
The development of this side of the Borough Maternity and
Child Welfare Scheme progressed during the year. In December,
1922, an additional pre-natal Clinic was opened at the East Battersea
Centre. There are now five of these Clinics established in Battersea.
Of these, four are under the direct supervision of the Council's
Medical staff, and the fifth is under the direction of the Medical
Officer of a voluntary organisation. The work of this clinic is, however,
co-ordinated with that carried on at the Municipal Clinics.
The importance of the work carried on at the Ante-natal Clinics
cannot be over-estimated. During the past 20 years, whilst there
has been a remarkable and gratifying decline in the Infant Mortality
rate in England and Wales, no such decline is recorded in Maternal
Mortality, which, as the Report for 1922 of the Chief Medical Officer
of the Ministry of Health states, "remains now as high as it was at
the beginning of the century for 'accidents' and other causes of
death from childbirth." The aim, therefore, of ante-natal work is to
prevent these disasters, many of which can be avoided by the
provision of timely skilled professional assistance for the expectant
mother. The extent to which this work has now progressed in
Battersea has thrown a good deal of strain on the time of the
Assistant Medical Officer (Maternity and Child Welfare), and it has
become necessary, therefore, if this work is to be carried on efficiently
in Battersea, to increase the medical staff.
The Ante-natal Clinics are situate at the following centres :
(1) Borough Maternity Hospital. This clinic is specially equipped
for cases requiring more detailed examination. (2) Plough Road
(West Battersea). (3) Latchmere Road, and (4) All Saints' Parish
Hall (East Battersea). The Voluntary Associations' (Women's
League of Service) Clinic is held at their Centre, 111 Bridge Road
West.
In addition to being Centres for the diagnosis of conditions
which may seriously threaten the health or life of the mother or of
her unborn child, they are valuable educational centres for the
mothers and also for the training of midwives practising in the
Borough and the pupil midwives undergoing training at the Borough
Maternity Hospital and from other training Institutions.
The total number of patients attending the Municipal Antenatal
Clinics during 1923 was:—
Central Clinic (Borough Maternity Hospital) 297
Latchmere Clinic 265
Plough Road Clinic 208
All Saints' Hall Clinic 104
874