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29
ANTE-NATAL AND POST-NATAL CLINICS
These form part of a co-ordinated maternity service and serve
mothers having either a hospital or domiciliary confinement. The
clinic at Lodge Road is the main centre for the whole borough.
New Addington mothers booked for hospital normally attend the
subsidiary clinic on the estate, but are seen at special consultative
sessions at Lodge Road on at least one occasion.
During the year 4,245 cases were seen at the Ante-Natal
Clinics, of which 3,050 were new cases. A total of 23,484 attendances
were recorded and 1,817 cases were seen at the Post-Natal
Clinics (1,805 new cases) with 1,863 attendances.
Mothercraft instruction classes continue firmly established,
and at times more applications were outstanding than could be
included in current lectures. To overcome this difficulty classes
were increased in size. At relaxation exercise sessions 487
mothers recorded 2,119 attendances.
CARE OF PREMATURE BABIES
Increasing efforts continue to be made by improved ante-natal
care to prevent premature births. A mother booked for a home confinement,
who goes into premature labour at a time when the baby
is of doubtful viability, is admitted to hospital as an "emergency"
case. Infants below four and a half pounds birth weight
or with poor home circumstances are usually admitted with the
mother to hospital.
Outfits are available on loan to help in the home care of a
premature infant. There is close contact between hospital and
domiciliary midwives and the health visitors to cover the period
when one service hands over to the other. For detailed figures,
see the Appendix, page 104.
CARE OF THE UNMARRIED MOTHER
The Croydon Association for Moral Welfare continued to act
for the Corporation and received payment on a capitation basis
for cases dealt with by their Social Worker. The Corporation also
Paid hostel fees in respect of approved cases for whom such
accommodation was required.