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39
One mother admitted in a collapsed and almost moribund condition
as an emergency on account of antepartum haemorrhage died 14 hours later
(2½ hours after delivery) from Shock from inter and post-partum haemorrhage
due to retained placenta.
The other 17 cases admitted direct to this block were not confined therein
for the following reasons:—
Abortion or miscarriage 10
Abortion before arrival at Home 1
Admitted for ante-natal treatment and subsequently
evacuated, confined at own home or admitted to
Oldchurch Hospital 3
Born before arrival at Home 3
Ward Blocks.—330 cases were admitted to the Ward Blocks. In
addition six patients admitted to the Emergency Block for ante-natal
treatment were subsequently transferred to or re-admitted to the Ward
Blocks for confinement. Twelve patients admitted to the Ward Blocks were
transferred to the Emergency Block for confinement.
20 of the 330 cases had not been booked for admission to the Home.
Seven cases were not confined in the Home for the following reasons:—
Abortions 2
Admitted for ante-natal treatment and subsequently
evacuated or confined at Oldchurch Hospital 3
Mother died before delivery 1
Admitted for ante-natal treatment, not yet re-admitted
for confinement 1
The average number of patients in the Ward Blocks per day during 1942
was 12.9 and the average length of stay of patients was 16.1 days.
In 21 of the 317 confinements the patient had been previously admitted
for varying periods of observation, being subsequently re-admitted for the
confinement.
Of the 317 confinements there were:—
(a) 193 cases of first confinement.
(b) 124 cases having their second or subsequent confinement.
(c) 21 cases living in 2 rooms or less (19 being first confinements).
(d) 58 cases living in 3 rooms (41 being first confinements).
Of the 317 cases, 2 women had engaged their own doctors who were
present at the births.
Thirty-one cases (or 9.8 per cent.) were delivered by means of forceps,
6 following surgical inductions; 1 of the infants was stillborn and 4 died
aged 20 minutes, 6 days, 5 months and 8 months.
In addition, labour was surgically induced in 34 cases; 2 of the infants
were stillborn and 1 died aged 12 days.
The neo-natal death-rate of babies born in the Ward Blocks for the
five years 1938 to 1942, was 1.9 per cent. compared with 2.12 per cent. in
the district in general. The death-rate of babies who died before 14 days,
born in the Ward Blocks for the five years 1938-1942 was 1.7 per cent.
The infant mortality rate of children born in the Ward Blocks of the
Maternity Home for the five years 1938-1942 was 28.1 per 1,000 births, as
compared with 35.4 born in their own homes. The figure of 35.4 has been
arrived at after deduction of all deaths of infants born in the Maternity
Home, and is calculated on the total births in the district, excluding those
in the Maternity Home.
There were 7 stillbirths in the Ward Blocks.
Sixteen cases were notified as suffering from Puerperal Pyrexia. Six
of these cases and eight other patients were removed to the Isolation Hospital.