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PERSONAL HEALTH SERVICES
MATERNAL AND CHILD-CARE
General
Screening for Phenylketonuria by the Guthrie Blood Test commenced
on 1st January and was carried out on babies delivered at
home, or discharged from hospital before the sixth day. In all, 596
tests were taken by midwives. This number included 21 samples in
which there were slightly high readings at the first test, and repeat
blood was taken. All specimens eventually gave a negative result. In
addition, there were two cases during the year where a urine test
carried out by the Health Visitor showed a doubtful result and
Guthrie tests were done as a check. Both these cases turned out to
be negative.
Ante-Natal and Post-Natal Services
Six ante-natal Clinics are held each week at Clinics in the area,
at which an Assistant Medical Officer and a Health Visitor are in
attendance. At these ante-natal Clinics cases are booked for subsequent
hospital confinement. Post-natal sessions are also held on these
occasions.
In addition five ante-natal sessions are held by midwives for
patients booked for domiciliary confinement.
Relaxation and mothercraft classes are held throughout the
Borough at which health education on a personal basis is carried out
by health visitors and midwives.
Attendances at the ante-natal clinics during the year were as
follows:—
Number of women who attended for ante-natal examination 301
Number of women who attended for post-natal examination 54
There were 296 midwives' clinic sessions at which 361 women
attended. The total number of attendances was 2,195.
Relaxation Classes
Ante-natal relaxation classes are held weekly by health visitors
and midwives at the following clinics: Amity Grove, Church Road,
Grand Drive, Middleton Road, Morden Road, Russell Road, Wide
Way. The numbers of women who attended were:—
Booked for hospital confinement 377
Booked for domiciliary confinement 22
Total 399
The total number of attendances was 2,666.
Premature Infants
The total number of premature infants born in the area during
1968 was 142, compared with 197 in 1967.
Nine premature infants died in 1968. This means that 6.2% of
the 142 premature infants born during the year died within a year
as compared with 1.2% for full-term babies.
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