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8
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
The work of the Maternity and Child Welfare Service is largely
governed by the number of births which occur annually. It
follows, therefore, that the increased number of births in recent
years has occasioned a corresponding increase in the demands
on the maternity service. During the year under review there
were 2,768 live births, this giving a birth-rate of 17.2 per thousand
of population. This rate is below those for 1943 and 1944, which
were 18.8 and 19.4 respectively.
A very large proportion of the births, 76 per cent., occur in
maternity hospitals and nursing homes, as shown by the following
figures:
Births in Perivale Maternity Hospital 691
Births in other hospitals 1,032
Births in nursing homes 380
Births at home 665
2,768
The infant death-rate of 40 per thousand births is low compared
with that for England and Wales of 46 and is equal to the lowest
recorded in Ealing during the past ten years. As far as maternal
mortality is concerned, Ealing is in the surprising position of
having no maternal deaths during the year.
The attendances at the Health Centres have continued at a
high level. Facilities have been made available in a Church Hall
at West Twyford for the issue of National Dried Milk, fruit juices,
etc., and also for the weighing of young babies. This arrangement
obviates the mothers in this area, remote from any of the regular
Centres, having to make frequent long journeys to obtain necessary
supplies for their children.
The arrangements made in 1944 for the care of illegitimate
children, whereby the mothers can be admitted to pre-natal and
post-natal hostels, have proved most useful. During the year
17 cases were admitted to one, or both, of the hostels. The scheme
is operated locally in close co-operation with the Ealing Deanery
Moral Welfare Association while the admissions to the
hostels are arranged by the Middlesex County Council. There
can be no doubt that the help given in these cases has proved of
very great value to both mothers and children.
Information is now obtained regarding weight at birth of
all infants who are 5 lbs. 8 ozs., or less, when born. During the