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L.C.C.
midwives

Another factor in reducing the number of home confinements was the attraction
of hospital confinement owing to the low cost to the patient and the increase in the
number of beds available.
Of these 8,580 confinements during 1949, 1,280 were primigravidae and 7,300
multigravidae ; the figures do not include women booked by the Council's midwives
who were subsequently admitted to hospital before confinement suffering
from toxaemia, ante-partum haemorrhage or other condition requiring hospital
care. The number of midwives employed at the end of the year was 140 compared
with 155 at the end of 1943 and 158 at the end of 1947. The average number of
confinements taken by each midwife, including their sick and holiday reliefs, was
approximately 58 compared with 65 in 1948 and 81 in 1947.
Part-time midwives were employed for various periods during the year to assist
in the nursing of mothers during periods when the Council's midwives were absent
on annual or sick leave.
Ambulance cars continued to be available for the transport of midwives in
emergency particularly at night and when undertaking additional relief duties, and
12,974 miles were run on this service during the year compared with 15,523 miles
in 1948.
Agency
Organisations

In addition a small number of part-time midwives and some full-time staff of
district nursing associations did part-time midwifery and part-time home nursing.