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77
The health visitors were asked to interview
and complete a questionnaire in respect of each
woman in their district who had been confined in
1958, and with whom they came into contact during
January to March 1959. There were 899 women
interviewed, 390 being primigravidae and 499 being
multigravidae The information obtained is analysed
in Table II

Primigravidae
All those who had their confinement at home
(although they would have preferred hospital)
said they enjoyed having their babies athome (10),
However, half of those who had asked to have their
babies at home (22), but had been advised to go
to hospital, still wished they had been confined
at home
Multigravidae
Among those who both wished for, and had confinement
in hospital (196), only five had had
opportunity for comparison, and gave the reason
for their preference as freedom from domestic
worry
Amongst the 63 women who had asked for hospital
and had been unable to get a bed, 32, on reflection,
preferred home because they were with the
family and had more personal attention. Six women
would have preferred home if they could have
obtained adequate and inexpensive domestic help
Twenty five women still preferred hospital giving
their reasons as (a) more rest (6) (b) freedom
from domestic worries (7) (c) more security (5),
and (d) vague reasons (7)
DISCUSSION
The statement that six people would have pre
ferred a home confinement if they could have
obtained adequate and inexpensive domestic help
raises the question of the added expense to the
mother of having her confinement at home Possibly
there were many more mothers to whom this question
of expense was a material factor in choosing to
have the confinement in hospital