London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bromley 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]
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21
An endeavour was made during the year to see
patients only by appointment, but this failed for the
usual reasons that appointments were not always kept
and patients attended without appointments. We have
now reverted to the previous system whereby the Clinic
is open to all cases whether sent direct by the doctor,
midwife or by appointment from the various clinics and
centres.
Ante-natal work would be much more effective if
mothers sought advice earlier in pregnancy and preventive
work began before the causes of stillbirths and
premature births can do damage. This is brought out
in the investigation into stillbirths, as very few of these
received skilled ante-natal supervision.
The following tables give the order of pregnancy
and the date the mother first attended at the Clinic.
It will be noticed from this that there is still much work to be done in educating the mothers in the necessity of seeking advice early and frequently during the pregnancy.
| Order of Pregnancies. | No. of mothers who attended in the First three months of Pregnancy. | No. of mothers who attended in the Second three months of Pregnancy. | No. of mothers who attended in the Third three months of Pregnancy. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 | 17 | 8 |
| 2nd | 10 | 18 | 3 |
| 3rd | 3 | 11 | 6 |
| 4th | 1 | 12 | 3 |
| 5th | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 6th | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| 7th | 1 | 1 | - |
| 8th | - | 1 | 1 |
| 9th | - | 1 | 1 |
| 10th | - | 2 | - |
| 11th | - | - | 1 |
| 14th | - | 1 | - |
| Total | 22 | 73 | 28 |
The table explains itself—17 per cent. attended early
in pregnancy; 23 per cent. late in pregnancy. Of 635