Abstract
THE Ministry of Health has issued two reports upon this subject, namely, (α) “An Investigation into Maternal Mortality in England", and (b) ”Maternal Mortality in Wales“(London: H.M. Stationery Office. 5s. 6d., and 2s. 6d., respectively). The national average for maternal mortality has remained for a number of years in the neighbourhood of 4 mothers per 1,000 live births, despite great expansions in maternity services and remarkable improvement in the general health of the community. The provisional figures for 1936 show a slight decline, the rate for that year being less than 4. In many districts in England and in Wales, however, the maternal mortality rate is higher than the average, being 5 or more, and the two reports survey the circumstances that may be responsible for this excessive mortality in England and Wales, and the measures that may be taken to reduce it. The rate is generally higher in industrial areas and lower in rural ones. The first report deals more fully with prevention, and a section is devoted to the subject of abortion. Attempted abortions appear to be frequent and on the increase, as well as to be responsible for a number of deaths from puerperal sepsis.
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Maternal Mortality. Nature 140, 1093 (1937). https://doi.org/10.1038/1401093e0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1401093e0