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
Shoreditch 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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13
Maternal Mortality.
The number of Shoreditch women who lost their lives in connection with
childbirth during the year was 4.
This gives a Maternal Mortality rate per 1,000 births of 2 0.
The particulars of these deaths, classified according to age and cause, are given in
the table on page 14.
For purposes of comparison the maternal mortality rates per 1,000 live births in England and Wales, London and Shoreditch, during the year 1929 and ten preceding years are given as follows:—
| Year. | England and Wales. | London. | Shoreditch. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths from Sepsis. | Deaths from other diseases and accidents of Pregnancy. | Total. | Deaths from Sepsis. | Deaths from other diseases and accidents of Pregnancy. | Total. | Deaths from Sepsis. | Deaths from other diseases and accidents of Pregnancy. | Total. | |
| 1929 | 1.80 | 2.53 | 4.33 | 1.88 | 1.73 | 3.61 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| 1928 | 1.79 | 2.63 | 4.42 | 1.59 | 2.00 | 3.59 | 1.43 | 1.91 | 3.34 |
| 1927 | 1.57 | 2.54 | 4.11 | 1.31 | 1.60 | 2.90 | 0.91 | 0.47 | 1.38 |
| 1926 | 1.60 | 2.52 | 4.12 | 1.61 | 1.74 | 3.35 | 1.19 | 1.2 | 2.4 |
| 1925 | 1.56 | 2.52 | 4.08 | 1.42 | 1.77 | 3.19 | 0.76 | 2.24 | 3.04 |
| 1924 | 1.39 | 2.51 | 3.90 | 1.24 | 1.84 | 3.08 | 0.39 | 3.2 | 3.59 |
| 1923 | 1.30 | 2.51 | 3.81 | 1.37 | 1.52 | 2.89 | 0.0 | 1.41 | 1.41 |
| 1922 | 1.38 | 2.43 | 3.81 | 1.36 | 1.48 | 2.84 | 1.02 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| 1921 | 1.38 | 2.53 | 3.91 | 1.42 | 1.56 | 2.98 | 1.34 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| 1920 | 1.81 | 2.52 | 4.33 | 1.78 | 1.60 | 3.38 | 1.34 | 0.53 | 1.83 |
| 1919 | 1.67 | 2.70 | 4.37 | 1.88 | 1.85 | 3.73 | 1.75 | 2.18 | 3.93 |
The fact that the maternal mortality rates in Shoreditch compare so favourably
with those in England and Wales and in London generally is very greatly to the
credit of the midwifery services in the Borough.
The excellent record of Shoreditch in this matter is all the more remarkable
when it is remembered how bad are the home conditions in which many of the
confinements must be conducted.