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Ante-Natal Services.
Ante-Natal Clinics.—During the year, two weekly
ante-natal sessions were held at the Becontree Clinic,
two at the Dagenham Clinic, and two at the Five Elms
Out-Patients Department. In addition, one monthly
session was held at Chadwell Heath and one at Rush
Green.
At the Five Elms Out-Patients Department the
Consultant Gynaecologist paid fortnightly visits
throughout the year, seeing a total of 146 women who
made 238 attendances.
120 cases were referred to hospital for confinement
under the Council's scheme, of whom 105 were admitted
to the East End Maternity Hospital, nine to Charing
Cross Hospital under the care of the Consultant
Gynaecologist, six to Oldchurch Hospital and one to
Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford. The cost to the
Council for these patients, after the receipt of the
patients' fees, amounted to £719 Os. Od.
26 women who attended were found to be not
pregnant, and there were 15 post-natal eases.
Of the 884 women who attended, 337 came of their
own accord, 112 were referred by health visitors. 15 by
medical practitioners, five by Oldchurch Hospital, 92
by neighbours, 184 by midwives and eight by the
Relieving Officer.
The co-operation of medical practitioners and
midwives is increasing as the figures given above will
show; in the previous year 142 cases were referred by
midwive's against 184 in 1935. It is obviously to the
advantage of patients, doctors and midwives if a close
association is maintained with the ante-natal services
provided by the Local Authority. The aim of all concerned
is to safeguard motherhood and prevent
conditions which might give rise to maternal morbidity.