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35
THE MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE SCHEME.
The Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme has continued its
normal work at the four centres throughout the war. The
heavy aerial bombardments in the last few months of 1940 led
to the evacuation of a considerable number of expectant and
nursing mothers and pre-school children to places of greater
safety in the country. This disturbance does not appear to
have raised maternal mortality or morbidity, but it is reflected
in the increase in premature births and neo-natal deaths.
During 1941 there has been a steady return to more normal
conditions and the number of attendances at the centres has
increased, so that extra sessions have been held for expectant
mothers and for infants and young children.
MATERNITY HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION.
North Middlesex Hospital.—The maternity admissions
from Hornsey to the North Middlesex Hospital numbered 127
in 1941, as compared with 114 in 1940.
MIDWIFERY SERVICES.
There were 15 Midwives, including 4 Borough Midwives,
notified to the Middlesex County Council as practising in the
Borough, 6 of whom reside outside the Borough.
The Borough Midwives attended 226 births, in addition to
ante.natal clinics held at the Welfare Centres. One of the
conditions upon which the Council's Midwives accept a case is
that the expectant mother shall attend an ante.natal clinic.
Three thousand two hundred and sixty.six births have been
attended by the Borough Midwives since the appointment of a
Midwife was first made in 1922.
PAINLESS CHILDBIRTH.
Up to the end of the year seventy.five mothers had had
gas and air administered at their confinements and the results
may be claimed to be very satisfactory.