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131
Age of Mother.—Under 20 years, 2; between 20 and 29 years,
28; between 30 and 39 years, 35 ; between 40 and 49 years, 7.
The Health of the Mother during her pregnancy was stated
to be good in 55 cases and indifferent or poor in 11 cases; no
particulars were obtained in 6 cases. In 8 cases, however, the mother
had had a shock or a fall before the still birth. In 33 instances
the mother had attended the Ante-Natal Clinic. 39 cases had
never attended the Clinic.
Attendance at Confinement.—Thirty-one of the still births
investigated occurred in the Mayday Hospital; 10 in St. Mary's
Hospital; 18 were attended in their own homes by a private medical
practitioner either alone or in conjunction with a midwife; 8 were
attended by a midwife alone, and 1 birth occurred before any skilled
help was available ; 4 occurred in private nursing homes.
Forceps were reported to have been utilised in 18 of the cases.
In 47 cases the baby was born at full term; in 16 during
the 8th month of gestation; in 8 during the 7th month; and in 1
under 7 months. The baby was apparently a normal child in 39
eases, abnormal in 9, whilst in 24 no record was available.
The still birth was the first pregnancy in 32 instances; the
2nd in 11; the 3rd in 13; the 4th in 7; the 5th in 2; the 6th
in 2; the 7th in 1; the 8th in 2; and beyond in 2.
Previous still births had occurred in 2 cases.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Thirteen cases were notified during 1935. Under the Ophthalmia
Neonatorum "Regulations, 1926, notification by midwives
ceased. Prior to 1926 the 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.