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31
ANTE-NATAL AND POST-NATAL CLINICS
The use of single clinic premises for both mothers booked
for hospital or for home confinement continued unchanged. A full
range of services includes consultative clinics, demonstrations
of gas/air analgesia, mothercraft instruction classes and relaxation
exercise sessions. Attendances were as follows: -
During the year 4,272 cases were seen at the Ante-Natal
Clinics, of which 3,106 were new cases. A total of 28,615 attendances
were recorded and 1,958 cases were seen at the Post-Natal
Clinics (1,752 new cases) with 2,008 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 511
mothers recorded 2,904 attendances.
CARE OF PREMATURE BABIES
Emphasis continued to be upon the prevention of premature
births, but the special facilities available to assist in the
care of a premature infant being nursed at home remained available.
Prematurity and its high infant mortality rate is the
Problem which confronts the present generation of those concerned
with maternal and infant welfare and no easy solution has yet
been suggested. With some mothers, adequate rest during the later
stages of the ante-natal period seems an important factor, but
unfortunately, those with the greatest need not infrequently are
the least inclined to accept medical advice. There is authority
to use home helps as a less drastic measure than admission to
hospital, but with the type of mother concerned, consent for even
this is just as difficult if not more difficult to obtain. For
detailed figures, see the Appendix, page 107.
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.