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 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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15
Maternal Mortality.
The number of Shoreditch women who lost their lives in connection with
childbirth during the year was 7.
This gives a Maternal Mortality rate per 1,000 births of 3 5.
The particulars of these deaths, classified according to age and cause, are given in
the table on page 16.
For purposes of comparison the maternal mortality rates per 1,000 live births in England and Wales, London and Shoreditch, during the year 193U and ten preceding vears 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. | |
| 1930 | 1.92 | 2.48 | 4.40 | 1.71 | 1.45 | 3.16 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 3.5 |
| 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 |
Abortion was an associated cause of death in four of the seven maternal deaths
that occurred during 1930.
In connection with these deaths, it is pertinent to remember that those who
advocate the dissemination of knowledge upon the subject of birth control argue
that such knowledge should prevent women from being exposed to the temptation
to resort to the desperate measure of abortion. B2