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Memorandum 153/M.C.W.
BIRTH CONTROL.
1. The Minister of Health is authorised to state that the
Government have had under consideration the question of the use
of institutions which are controlled by Local Authorities for the
purpose of giving advice to women on contraceptive methods.
2. So far as Maternity and Child Welfare Centres (including
Ante-Natal Centres) are concerned, these Centres can properly
deal only with expectant mothers, nursing mothers, and
young children, and it is the view of the Government that it is not
the function of the Centres to give advice in regard to birth control
and that their use for such a purpose would be likely to damage
the proper work of the Centres. At the same time the Government
consider that, in cases where there are medical grounds for
giving advice on contraceptive methods to married women in
attendance at the Centres, it may be given, but that such advice
should be limited to cases where further pregnancy would be
detrimental to health, and should be given at a separate session
and under conditions such as will not disturb the normal and
primary work of the Centre. The Minister will accordingly be
unable to sanction any proposal for the use of these Centres for
giving birth control advice in other cases.
3. The Government are advised that Local Authorities have
no genera] power to establish birth control clinics as such, but
that under the Notification of Births (Extension) Act, 1915,
which enables Local Authorities to exercise the powers of the
Public Health Acts for the purpose of the care of expectant
mothers and nursing mothers, it may properly be held that birth
control clinics can be provided for these limited classes of women.
Having regard to the acute division of public opinion on the subject
of birth control, the Government have decided that no Departmental
sanction which may be necessary to the establishment of
such clinics for expectant and nursing mothers shall be given except
on condition that contraceptive advice will be given only in
cases where further pregnancy would be detrimental to health.
4. Under the Public Health Acts, Local Authorities have
power to provide clinics at which medical advice and treatment
would be available for women suffering from gynaecological conditions.
But the enactments governing the provision of such
clinics limit their availability to sick persons, and the Government
have decided that any Departmental sanction which may
be necessary to the establishment of such clinics shall be given
only on the following conditions:—(1) that the clinics will be
available only for women who are in need of medical advice and
treatment for gynaecological conditions, and (2) that advice on
contraceptive methods will be given only to married women who
attend the clinics for such medical advice or treatment, and in
whose cases pregnancy would be detrimental to health.
Ministry of Health.
March, 1931.
71