Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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APPENDIX B. 14th March, 1939.
PROGRESS IN MATERNITY WORK.
The total number of births of Willesden residents notified in 1938 was 3,078 ; the total number
of confinements, of which there is a record, was 2,995.
N.B.—These two figures differ because occasionally twins are born and a few confinements have
to be added to the total of 2,995 to include cases which were confined in their own homes, and for
whom the Council did not provide maternitv nurses.
The 2,995 confinements were provided for as follows:-
By the Borough Council. | |
---|---|
Willesden Maternity Hospital | 1,045 |
Municipal Midwives | 447 |
Queen Charlotte's Midwives | 166 |
Maternity Nurses | 280 |
Total | 1,938 |
Kilburn and West Hampstead Midwives | 15 |
Independent Practising Midwives | 75 |
Central Middlesex County Hospital | 448 |
Institutions outside Willesden | 519 |
Total | 1,057 |
It will accordingly be observed that the Willesden Borough Council are more or less directly
responsible for approximately 65 per cent. of the confinements in Willesden.
Ante-Natal Care.
2,747 expectant mothers attended the Council's Health Centres during 1938 ; these included
the following:—
Cases confined in the Willesden Maternity Hospital 1,045
Cases confined by Municipal Midwives 447
Cases referred from the Central Middlesex County Hospital 298
Total 1,790
In addition a certain proportion of cases booked by the Kilburn and West Hampstead
Midwives, Independent Practising Midwives and Institutions outside Willesden attended during
some period of their pregancy for ante-natal care. The difference between the figure 1,790 and
2,747 is further accounted for because the number of expectant mothers who came to the Clinic,
namely, 2,747, include the 1,790 confinements referred to above, plus expectant mothers who were
not confined in 1938. As 3,078 births were notified in Willesden in 1938, the percentage of mothers
attending for ante-natal care relative to the notified births is approximately 90 per cent.
Nursing Mothers.
3,543 nursing mothers attended the Council's Health Centres during 1938.
Accouchement Sets.
The Council provided accouchement sets for women who were confined at home in 667 cases.
Home Helps.
The Council provided home helps in connection with the confinement in 321 cases.
Consultant.
The Council provided the services of a consultant in three cases of difficult labour.
Maternal Mortality.
The following table gives the puerperal mortality per 1,000 live and still births for England and Wales and Willesden resnertivelv since 1928:—
England and Wales. | Willesden. | |
---|---|---|
1928 | 4.25 | 2.90 |
1929 | 4.16 | 3.95 |
1930 | 4.22 | 3.71 |
1931 | 3.95 | 3.06 |
1932 | 4.04 | 3.86 |
1933 | 4.32 | 5.07 |
1934 | 4.41 | 2.82 |
1935 | 3.94 | 2.73 |
1936 | 3.65 | 1.71 |
1937 | 313 | 3.17 |
1938 | — | 1.63* |
* The returns for the December, 1938, quarter have not yet reached the department, but as we almost invariably get early information of a maternal death through the health visiting staff this figure is not likely to require alteration. |