London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Croydon 1930

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]

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155
As is seen the duration of stay much exceeds that in ordinary
maternity homes. The girls are kept, with their babies, until
suitable situations can be secured for them, and when necessary
foster-mothers are found for the babies. Whilst the girls are in
the Home they are employed in domestic work. Some of them
go out to daily work, but reside in the Home.
Twenty-two babies were placed in the Nursery when the
mothers left. Twenty-seven babies passed out of the Home, and
of these 15 are still with the mother; the remainder have been
placed with foster-mothers.
Still Births.
During 1930, 108 still births were registered in respect of
Croydon, but of these 14 were outward transfers to other districts.
There were 10 inward transfers, giving a total of 104 for the area.
Of these 56 were male babies and 48 female; 5 male and 4 female
were illegitimate. The proportion of still births to living children
was as 1 to 33.8. The still birth rate was 3% of the registered live
births. The rate in 1929 was 3.4.
The still birth rate, on the same basis as for Infant Mortality
was 29.6 per 1,000 births.

Table LXXIX. STILL BERTH'S, 1930.

Notified by Midwives17
„ Doctors, etc.24
„ Institutions32*
Attended by Midwives alone11
„ Doctors alone11
„ Midwives and Doctors18
„ Institutions23
Occurred at 9 months45
„ 8 months10
„ 7 months7
*Including registered Maternity Homes.

An Analysis of 62 Still Births Occurring During the Year.
Of the 62 still births investigated 34 were males and 28
females.
The causes assigned by the doctor or the midwife in attendance,
for the still birth were: Malpresentation, 11 cases; Prolonged
labour, 2 cases; Maternal illness, 6 cases; Contracted
pelvis, 5 cases; Placenta prævia, 2 cases; Abnormal presentation,
11 cases; Ante-partum hæmorrhage, 3 cases; Large child, 2 cases;
Injury or shock to mother, 4 cases; Twin pregnancy, 1 case; and
in instances no record is obtainable. In 23 cases no cause was
assigned. It is remarkable for what a high proportion of still
births no cause can be given.