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Unmarried mothers
Although the illegitimacy rate has not decreased, more unmarried
mothers now make their own arrangements for confinement
and return to their own homes with their babies. There is
now only one mother-and-baby home in the Borough.
Cervical cytology
The cervical cytology service is available to women residing or
working in the Borough. In spite of the national decline in
demand for the service, our clinics were well attended during 1969.
The average number of seven patients who were seen at each
session gave the doctor enough time for a full gynaecological and
breast examination and also general health counselling. The
women doctors in charge of the clinics are experienced in gynaecology
and obstetrics and in particular are concerned with the
preventive aspects of the work.
Some general practitioners in the Borough prefer to provide a
cervical cytology service themselves but the majority advise and
encourage their patients to attend the Council's clinics.
The incidence of malignancy which has been discovered at the
Council's clinics has increased considerably compared with the
figures for last year. In 1969, one smear in 71 was found to be
positive and of the 27 positive cases discovered, 8 were obviously
malignant and 19 potentially malignant. In the previous year the
incidence of positive smears was one in 129 cases with a total
finding of 16 obviously or potentially malignant cases. Other morbid
conditions were also detected, some of which necessitated
hospital treatment.