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105
Ante-Natal Hygiene.
Under the scheme for the voluntary notification of pregnancy which came into
force in January, 1929, 124 voluntary notifications were received as compared with
40 in 1928. All these expectant mothers, and those already known to the Health
Visitors from other sources, were visited in their homes, and in addition to
instruction in hygiene generally were all informed verbally and by means of a
leaflet of the special facilities afforded by the Holborn Council.
Confinement in Institutions and Housing Conditions.
Any expectant mothers living in crowded homes in Holborn are advised to
enter hospital for confinement. In order to carry out this the cognate particulars
relating to all pregnant women of whom we hear are set out on a sheet and each
case followed up to a successful issue or until it becomes clear that the woman
will not enter hospital; social reasons are at least as important as the difficulty oi
securing accommodation in suitable institutions.
In order to provide accommodation for those whose home circumstances make
confinement at home specially undesirable and who are willing to enter hospital an
arrangement has been made with one of the principal Maternity Hospitals within
reasonable reach of Holbom to accept normal cases for admission on social grounds
only.
Ante-Natal Centres.
During the year, enquiries were made of mothers as to their attendance at an
Ante-Natal Centre immediately previous to the birth of the child visited. Of 460
mothers, about whom information was obtained, 294 (64 per cent.) were found to
have attended Ante-Natal Centres or received ante-natal care as under:—
Number of enquiries made 460
Centre Attended:—
Holborn Centre, 10, John Street 30
Holborn Centre, Short's Gardens1
Royal Free Hospital 34
Middlesex Hospital 24
Charing Cross Hospital 29
University College Hospital 40
Myddelton Square Institution 32
St. Bartholomew's Hospital 20
City of London Hospital 13
Queen Charlotte's Hospital 1
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital 17
Other Centres 6
Ante-natal care from private doctors 28
Ante-natal care from midwives 10
294