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45
Maternal Mortality.
This subject has lately been receiving considerable attention. The situation is,
unfortunately, complicated, as the Ministry of Health, the Registrar-General, and the majority
of Public Health Officials, taken as a body, do not always agree over definitions and
classifications of these deaths.
Deaths of women during pregnancy or childbirth are classified into two groups. The
first and main division is reserved for those cases where death is directly due to the Puerperal
state. Each authority has its own title for this collection, but it is not always used with
the same intention. The resulting differences of opinion are sufficiently numerous to render
tho annual statistics of doubtful value. Until they are rectified we can placc little value upon
local statistics, more especially considering that they are based upon such a small number
of cases.
Deaths which are only associated with pregnancy or childbirth, not directly due to
either, are collected for the second large group. They are all classified primarily to their
particular cause of death and then re-grouped as Non-Puerperal Maternal Deaths.
In 1930 there were 5 Puerperal and 3 Non-Puerperal Maternal deaths in the Borough.
In addition, there was 1 case of self-induced abortion, which was classified to " Suicide." The
Puerperal Mortality Pate was 1"6, which compares favourably with 3'5 for 1929, or 2'(> the
average for the years 1925-1928. There were no deaths due to Sepsis in 1930, while in the
period 1925-1929 there were 22 such cases.
Enquiries arc made into all these deaths, whether directly due to or only associated with
pregnancy or childbirth. Reports are then made and forwarded to the special Maternal
Mortality Committee appointed by the Ministry of Health. This Committee has been using the
information with a view to a better understanding of the problem. It issued recently ai
" Interim Report" based on the analysis of the first 2000 enquiries.
The Report is open to criticism, and some of the statistical sections and the deductions
are to be taken with reserve. Its great value, however, lies in the suggestions for an extended
service, which should help in the reduction of Maternal Mortality in the future.