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168
An Analysis of 88 Still Births Occurring During the Year.
Of the 88 still births investigated 44 were males and 40 females.
In 4 the sex was not stated.
Type of Delivery.—In 42 cases the confinement was difficult
or prolonged. Normal confinement was noted in 42 cases; no
information was obtainable in 2 cases, and two were precipitate
labours. There was an abnormal presentation in 8 cases.
Age o\f Mother.—Under 20 years, 2 ; between 20 and 29 years,
35: between 30 and 39 years, 43; between 40 and 49 years, 8.
The Health of the Mother during her pregnancy was stated
to be good in 76 cases and indifferent or poor in 20 cases; no particulars
were obtained in 2 cases. In 23 cases, however, the mother
had had a shock or a fall before the still birth. In 34 instances the
mother had attended the Ante-Natal Clinic, 54 cases had never
attended the Clinic.
Attendance at Confinement.—Twenty-one of the still births
investigated occurred in the Mayday Road Hospital; 14 in St.
Mary's Hospital; 23 were attended in their own homes by a private
medical practitioner either alone or in conjunction with a midwife;
17 were attended by a midwife alone, and 2 births occurred before
any skilled help was available ; 5 occurred in private nursing homes.
Forceps were reported to have been utilised in 18 of the cases,
while in 10 no record was available.
In 49 cases the baby was born at full term ; in 16 during the
8th month of gestation ; in 15 during the 7th month ; and in 3 under
7 months. Four cases were stated to be over the 9th month. The
baby was apparently a normal child in 67 cases, abnormal in 12,
whilst in 9 no record was available.
The still birth was the first pregnancy in 33 instances ; the
2nd in 25; the 3rd in 7 ; the 4th in 5 ; the 5th in 4 ; the 6th in 4 ;
the 7th in 1; the 8th in 4 ; the 9th in 2 ; and beyond the 9th
in 3.
Previous still births had occurred in 16 cases.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Twenty-one cases were notified during 1932. The fluctuations
m the number of notifications since 1926, the date of the passing of
'I'e Ophthalmia Neonatorum regulations, is remarkable. Under
these regulations notification by midwives ceased. Prior to 1926
(l'e number of notifications remained fairly uniform, and it would
appear as if only the most severe cases are now brought to the
attention of the Authority.