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18
It is a deplorable fact that in every 1,000 live and
still births six mothers should die as a consequence of
a physiological function.
To counter this the Local Authority has made every
possible provision; an Obstetrical Specialist is engaged for
emergency; special hospital accommodation is provided
for the septic case, but more important than all we
provide every facility to safeguard the mother against the
emergency arising.
Adequate ante-natal supervision and care must be the
prime principle in the prevention of maternal deaths, but
it is deplorable that this is not yet by any means fully
appreciated by the pregnant woman; the principle of next
importance is to provide for the confinement under the
best possible environment and one able to cope with all
emergencies. I am not for one moment suggesting that
every confinement should take place in hospital or
maternity home, as I believe certain dangers exist in the
hospitalisation of a normal physiological function.
Nevertheless, far too many cases are left to the haphazard
ante-natal and post-natal care of the so-called maternity
nurse who need not possess any training or knowledge
provided slip does not actually carry out the delivery of
the child without the presence of a doctor.
The midwives of the Bromley District Nursing
Association play a large part in the services of prevention
of disease—a fact not fully realised by the public. This
voluntary association deserves every possible finanrial
support so that they may continue to provide skilled
midwives for pregnant women.
Although we can never fully conquer maternal
mortality we can prevent the deaths of some 50 per cent,
of the present mortality. In my view every mother
should have the attention of a skilled doctor throughout
the period of pregnancy; the normal confinement being
left in the hands of the certified midwife. The position
to-day in this respect is rather the reverse—the majority
of mothers are left without skilled supervision before and
after confinement; the doctor attending only at the
actual labour.