View report page

CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
(Section 22)
Care of the Expectant Mother
The well-being of the expectant mother from early pregnancy until
confinement is the aim of all in attendance at ante-natal clinics. In this
we have the co-operation locally of general medical practitioners,
regional hospital obstetric consultants, almoners and others concerned
in this service and who recommend mothers to attend local clinics to
save time and unnecessary travelling. Abnormal cases are few in number
and are referred to hospital for treatment.
Where necessary, appointments can be made for X-ray and dental
care and an ambulance booked to convey a mother between clinic and
home.
The card report system which was extended to Clapton Mothers'
Hospital last year has operated successfully. Arrangements for domiciliary
confinement or the reservation of a hospital bed are made for the
mother at each local clinic. The services of a home help are available
if required for all domiciliary confinements and temporary nursery
accommodation can be provided for pre-school children in certain
cases.
In Hornsey, where the majority of hospital cases are booked for the
Alexandra Maternity Home, there is a useful link in that two parttime
ante-natal clinicians are also medical officers to the Home and
general practitioners in the town.
The health visitor in attendance at the clinic discusses arrangements
with each mother and makes known to her the various services which
are available to her during her pregnancy, confinement and puerperium.
The maintenance of all these aids does much to prevent unnecessary
worry and ill-health at a time when the mother is in most need of relief
and support.
Blood Tests
All expectant mothers attending ante-natal clinics have specimens of
blood taken for Wasserman reaction, blood grouping and determination
of Rhesus factor. At some clinics patients have their haemoglobin
estimated at the first visit and regularly every four weeks thereafter
whether they are hospital or home confinements. The haemoglobin
estimation is done by the Sahli method in the clinic by the same health
visitors and checks are made on the accuracy of the estimations from
time to time by co-operation with the Pathologist of the Post-Graduate
Medical School, Ducane Road, W.12. The results have been accurate
within 5 per cent. A record is kept of the patient's ability to take iron
and the type most easily tolerated.
59