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SECTION IV.—MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
1.—ANTE-NATAL WORK.
(a) Ante-natal Clinic.
The Ante-natal Clinic, held in the new Sick Nursery and
Clinics building, has been held for three sessions in each week
throughout the year. During 1926, 659 expectant mothers made
a total of 2,504 attendances, each mother attending 3.8 times on
an average. The average weekly attendance at the clinic was 52.
The growth of the work of the Clinic is shewn in the following
figures:—
1922. 1923. 1924. 1925. 1926.
Number of mothers attending 413 448 500 609 659
Number of attendances 1913 1835 2007 2496 2504
Weekly attendance 38 39 39 48 52
(b) Attendances of Expectant Mothers at Welfare Centres.
During the year, 541 expectant mothers received advice and
assistance at the various Welfare Centres, and made a total of
1,667 attendances.
(c) Home Visits to Expectant Mothers.
687 visits were paid to the homes of expectant mothers by
health visitors or medical officers.
(d) Feeding of Expectant Mothers.
In appropriate cases fresh or dried milk needed on medical
grounds during the last three months of pregnancy is provided,
at or below cost price, or free, according to the circumstances of
the family; while the Croydon Mothers' and Infants' Welfare
Association provide mid-day meals for necessitous expectant
mothers, needing this on medical grounds, where the mothers are
known to the Association and attending one of the Infant Welfare
Centres.
(e) Registration and Inspection of Maternity Homes.
Under the Croydon Corporation Act, 1924, registration of
maternity homes became compulsory as from January 1st, 1925.
41 maternity homes have been registered and are kept under
supervision. These maternity homes give a total accommodation
of 187 beds, distributed as follows :—
30