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97
Of the total live births within the district during the year, 519,
or 66.03 per cent were attended by midwives, the remainder being
attended by medical practitioners.
55. BIRTH RATE.
The birth rate for the year was 17.8, compared with 16.3 for
England and Wales.
56. ANTE-NATAL CLINICS.
The work of the Clinics was carried on as in previous years, and
one extra session was commenced at the St. Albans Clinic on the
3rd December, 1930.
The attendances during the year were well maintained. The
number of primary attendances was 432 compared with 386 for
1929. Reattendances numbered 1,536 in 1930, and 1,180 during
1929. One hundred and sixty sessions were held during the year,
making an average attendance of 12.3 mothers per session.
The total number of births including transfers was 832, and the
number of first attendances at the Ante-Natal Clinics was 432.
It would therefore appear that 51.9 per cent. of these cases availed
themselves of our Ante-Natal Service.
Expectant mothers attending the Ante-natal Clinics are drawn
from the following classes :
(a) Patients intending to enter the Upney Maternity Ward for
confinement.
(b) Those engaging with the midwives of the Plaistow .Maternity
Charity.
(c) Patients engaging with private midwives.
Thirty-three cases attended by midwives were referred by them
or by the health visitors for examination at the Ante-natal Clinics
owing to the presence of defects following childbirth.