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17
MATERNAL MORTALITY.
The rate per 1,000 total births was 1.4 in 1934, as compared
with 9.0 the previous year.
In view of the unusually high maternal death rate for 1933,
a report on the matter was submitted to the Maternity and Child
Welfare Committee. In that report it was stated that an enquiry
into each case revealed that in every instance there had been antenatal
supervision, that these maternal deaths could not be ascribed
to any lack of medical assistance, and that they were all cases of
abnormal labour presenting very grave obstetrical difficulties.
It was subsequently reported that only one maternal death
belonging to this borough had to be recorded for the year 1934, so
that the maternal death rate for this year has fallen to the
extremely low figure of 1.4.
The only maternal death during the year was certified to be
due to pulmonary embolism and femoral thrombosis, and it was
ascertained that delivery had occurred shortly before in a maternity
hospital, and that there was no evidence of sepsis.
Provision of Maternity Beds in Hospitals.—The Council
adopted the following scheme by which maternity patients may be
admitted to the Mothers' Hospital, Clapton.
That the Council pay the sum of one guinea in respect of each
necessitous case admitted from the borough.
A necessitous case is defined as one who, by reason of poverty
or other causes, is unable to pay for the treatment received, an
amount equal to one-half the average cost per patient of the maintenance
and administration charges. Last year the cost per inpatient
was £9 12s. 6¾d.
During the year the Council paid the sum of £11 11s. 0d.
respecting 11 cases admitted to the Hospital under the above
arrangement.