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57
Prematurity, ante-partum haemorrhage, placenta praevia, aged
1 hour.
Prematurity (35 weeks gestation), convulsions, aged 1 day.
*Septicaemia, pyelonephritis, aged 12 days.
*Septic meningitis, congenital hydrocephalus, aged 4 months.
* Died after discharge from Maternity Home.
The neo-natal death-rate of babies born in the Ward Blocks for the
five years 1941 to 1945, was 2.04 per cent. compared with 1.91 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 1941-19 15 was 1.88 per cent.
The infant mortality rate of children born in the Ward Blocks of the
Maternity Home for the five years 1941-1945 was 30.7 per 1,000 births, as
compared with 33.9 born in their own homes. The figure of 33.9 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.
The causes of the 10 stillbirths in the Ward Blocks were as follows:—
Anencephalic with spina bifida.
Breech presentation with cord prolapsed on admission.
Eclampsia.
Erythroblastosis.
Immature and premature twin.
Intra-uterine death of foetus.
Macerated foetus.
Obstructed labour, prolapsed cord.
Shock following a fall.
Unknown.
18 cases were notified as suffering from puerperal pyrexia, 8 being
removed to the Isolation Hospital.
The causes of the pyrexia were due to anaemia (1), jaundice (1), mammary
abscess (1), mastitis (2), offensive lochia (1), perineal tear (1), pyelitis (7),
reaction following blood transfusion (1), retention of urine (1), septic perineal
lacerations (1), transient and asymptomatic pyrexia (1).
In addition 30 other patients were removed to the Isolation Hospital
for the following reasons:—Abortion (1), chronic left otorrhoea (1), leueorrhoea
and bartholinitis (1), localized puerperal phlebitis (1), mammary
abscess (2), mastitis (2), phlebitis (1), phlegmasia alba dolens (1), pyelitis (2),
scabies (1), septic finger (1), staphylococcal conjunctivitis of infant (5),
staphylococcal dermatitis (1), stitch abscess following Caesarian section (1),
streptococcal carrier (7), stye on eye (1), infected breast follicle (1).
Special visits were made by the Consulting Obstetrician or his Deputy
to 28 cases in the WTard Blocks as follows:—
To perform Caesarian section operations 17
To perform other operations 6
For consultations 5
The reasons for the 17 Caesarian section operations were as follows:—
Contracted pelvis 7
Extended breech 5
Malpresentation 1
Obstructed labour 2
Placenta praevia 1
Transverse lie 1
The 6 other operations were as follows:—
Dilatation and curettage 1
Forceps delivery—foetal distress 1
Forceps delivery—lateral placenta praevia 1
Forceps delivery—uterine inertia 1
Internal podalic version 1
Manual removal of adherent placenta 1
There were two deaths of mothers admitted to the Ward Blocks:—
(1) Died 13½ hours after delivery due to Obstetric shock due to
post-partum haemorrhage.
(2) Died 2½ hours after delivery due to Obstetric shock due to
acute inversion of uterus.