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17
CARE OF MOTHERS AND CHILDREN
ante-natal care
Until 1966 the Council held weekly ante-natal clinics at all the maternal
and child health centres except the Wick Centre. The gradual decline in the
birthrate (21.4 in 1964 to 19.7 in 1967) has led to a falling off of attendances
and during the year ante-natal sessions at Elsdale Street and John Scott Health
Centres were reduced to one a fortnight.
The fall in attendance has been in part brought about because the local
maternity hospitals have been able to devote more attention to the expectant
mothers attending their clinics.
It is a pity that the pattern of ante-natal care has worked out this way as
although a certain number of hospital examinations are desirable it is more convenient
for a mother to attend an ante-natal clinic nearer her home for interim
care. In no way would this arrangement reduce the quality of the ante-natal care
and it does have the advantage that the mother can get her ante-natal care locally.
It must be admitted, though, that if pressure on hospitals is less, it is
understandable that mothers are encouraged to attend the hospital out-patients
department rather than be referred to another clinic.
Much has been written about the case for the attachment of nursing staff to
general practitioners. With the shortage of nursing staff it has not been possible
to attach any staff to local surgeries. One form of attachment that is not often
realised is the provision of accommodation for general practitioner obstetricians
in the Council's clinics. Nine general practitioner obstetricians have
availed themselves of this service. Weekly sessions are held each week at
maternal and child health centres and the booked midwife is in attendance.
Those general practitioner obstetricians who make use of accommodation in
our clinics have appreciated the benefits that can be derived from such a scheme.
Ante-Natal and Post-Natal Services
Centre
No. of
sessions
No. of women who attended for
Total
attendances
ante-natal
examination
post-natal
examination
Barton House
52
221
79
1,166
Elsdale Street
32
129
91
400
John Scott
48
186
63
631
Lower Clapton
50
201
119
542
Richmond Road
48
477
125
943
Shoreditch
46
69
69
212
Upper Clapton
46
116
61
348
West Hackney
51
164
124
397
373
1,563
731
4,639
preparation for child birth
Classes for expectant mothers are held in four of the centres. Pregnancy
is a time when a woman is most receptive to advice and much valuable teaching
can be given in these months about how she may help herself during labour and
lessen tension occurring through fear of the unknown. Mothercraft including
all aspects of care for the baby is also taught with the help of modern visual
aids. The number of women who attended during 1967 is shown below:-
Institutionally booked 151
Booked for home confinement 23
Total attendances 1,477
Number of sessions 201