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89
"The death rate of women in child-birth remains
approximately what it was 25 years ago, and we lose by
death every year upwards of 3,000 mothers in the fulfilment
of one of their principal and most vital duties to the State,
a mortality almost entirely preventable. Then there is also
a large volume of abortion, miscarriage, still-birth and
ophthalmia neonatorum, much of it perfectly avoidable."
Still-births in Hackney have certainly not diminished; the
figures for last year were:—
Number of still-births
Number of registered Number of Still-births per 1,000 registered
births. notified. live births.
5,065 134 26
In 1918, 108 still-births were notified and in 1919, 123 stillbirth
were notified, being in that year equal to 23 per 1,000
notified live births.
The Council will realise how insufficient three Ante-natal
Centres are for the needs of the whole Borough when it is
remembered that most of the mothers attending do so owing to
the midwife having reason to suspect complications, so that the
examinations cannot be too careful and attentive.
Pregnant women will not attend a Centre where the conditions
are unsatisfactory, and midwives, who very often attend
with their patients cannot find time to do so when a large number
of women have to be dealt with at each Clinic.
Although under present conditions very little can be done
as regards prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum, the Council
will be interested to know that prompt following up and careful
supervision by the Health Visitors of the 92 cases notified during
the past three years has resulted in a perfect cure in every
instance.