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37
MATERNITY SERVICES.
ANTE-NATAL SUPERVISION.
Home Visiting.
During the year the health visitors paid a total of 1,548 visits to
expectant mothers, 997 being first visits.
Ante-natal Clinics.
The following summarises the work done at the clinics during the
year:
Total number of expectant mothers attending the clinics 2,321
Total number of attendances by expectant mothers at all
clinics 9,660
Percentage of total notified births (live and still) represented
by the number of expectant mothers attending
the clinics 85
Clothing Coupons : The machinery for the distribution of the extra
clothing coupons to which expectant mothers were entitled under the
scheme which came into force in August, was based on the maternity and
child welfare services. As so many of the expectant mothers are attended
by the Council's midwives and receive their ante-natal supervision at
the local clinics, most coupons were issued at these clinics. In the
case of other applicants advantage was taken of this means of becoming
aware of the fact that the applicant was pregnant for the health visitor
to establish early contact with her, so, when circumstances were
favourable the health visitors took the coupons to the expectant mothers.
Consultant Ante-natal Clinic.
The consultant ante-natal clinic was held fortnightly throughout
the year. During the year 229 women made 376 attendances.
General Practitioner Ante-natal Scheme.
The same arrangements by which pregnant women can receive
ante-natal supervision by their own medical attendants was continued
last year. Again only a very limited use was made of the scheme, 15
patients being seen by two practitioners. Of this number, three were
insured patients.
No women attended for post-natal examination.
ARRANGEMENTS MADE FOR CONFINEMENTS.
At Home.
1,164 confinements took place in the patients' own homes. Of these
914 were attended by midwives acting in their capacity as midwives,
and 250 by local midwives who had given notice of their intention to
practice, acting as maternity nurses.
Consultant Services.
During the year a consultant was summoned to five patients. Two
were ante-natal cases ; two patients were in labour; while the other was
suffering from post partum haemorrhage due to retention of the placenta.