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Only one-third of the stillbirth cases had received any degree of
ante-natal treatment. A point of interest, elicited from the histories of
the mothers who had stillbirths in 1929 was that 24 per cent, showed
•evidence of repeated failure to produce living children.
1933.—When a similar analysis is made of the 48 stillbirths notified
in 1933, the details are as follows. In 15 cases no reliable information as to
the cause of the stillbirth was available. The remaining 33 stillbirths may
be classified in three groups :—
1. Where general disease of the mother existed.
Cardiac disease 2 (1 had 3 previous stillbirths)
Syphilis 1
3
"2. Where an abnormality associated with pregnancy occurred.
Ante partum hsemorrhage 3 (1 premature)
Twins 1 (premature)
Pyelitis 1
Albuminuria 1 (premature)
Excessive vomiting 1
Prematurity 6 (no other cause known)
13
Where labour was abnormal.
Instrumental delivery 7 (4 primigravidse)
Breech presentation 7(4 primigravidse)
Prolonged labour 2 (1 primigravida)
Transverse presentation 1 (primigravida)
17
It is impossible, without a post mortem examination, to decide if the
associated abnormality was the cause of the stillbirth : but one is probably
justified in assuming that in Group 3 the death of the foetus occurred during
labour. Of the seven instrumental deliveries, four had received no antenatal
care—one had definitely refused to be examined by her doctor. All
the seven breech presentation cases had some degree of ante-natal care—
four were breech cases with extended legs. The transverse presentation
case, and one of the prolonged labour cases, failed to re-attend for ante-natal
examination.
Of the total of 48 stillbirths, only 8 of the mothers had received no
ante-natal treatment. This is a definite improvement since 1929, when the
proportion was 23 out of 53.