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children under the age of six; a third had four under five years.
Such cases of too rapidly recurring pregnancies are now
becoming infrequent in areas where the health of the mothers
is being actively supervised, as any consequent deterioration
in the health of the mothers or babies is detected at the welfare
centres and the existence of a birth control clinic brought to the
notice of the mothers.
More than one quarter of the patients gave a history of
having had one or more miscarriages.
One patient came because of her childlessness. The cause
of her sterility was investigated and she was sent for appropriate
treatment. That there is this "pro-baby" side to a birth control
clinic is not always realised, and too many mothers are unaware
that their childlessness is not necessarily unalterable, but may
quite well be curable. Local doctors, hospitals, and clinics
referred numerous cases to the birth control clinic because of
existing disease which would be aggravated by further pregnancy,
e.g., nephritis, pernicious anaemia, and heart disease.
The success of scientific contraceptive methods demands
a little care and perseverence on the part of the user. Patients
are sometimes reluctant to take the small necessary amount of
trouble required, but it must be remembered that just as the
expenditure of a little energy is necessary for the hygiene of the
teeth, or hair, or figure, the same is true for the hygiene of
marriage.
The intimate relationship between the various types of
services (Maternity Welfare, Ante.Natal, Post.Natal and
Gynaecological) are shown by the following facts. During the
year 91 new cases attended the Gynaecological Clinic. Of these
45 had a child under one year of age while 25 others had a
child between one and five years so that 70 of the 91 patients
(77%) may quite well have been in attendance with their
children at the Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics, 45 (50%)
may have been, themselves as nursing mothers, patients requiring
advice at the Maternity & Child Welfare Clinics.
Regarding the birth control sessions in 1938 (January to
November) 117 patients attended. Of these 56 had children
under one year of age and 15 had children over one and under
five years of age. That is to say, 71 (61%) of the women may
quite well have been attending the Maternity and Child Welfare
Clinics with their children, while 56 (48%) may have been themselves,
as nursing mothers, requiring advice at the Maternity
and Child Welfare Clinics.
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