H.—3l

Table VIIa. — Showing the Number of Puerperal Deaths and the Death-rate per 1,000 Live Births, 1927-1936.

TABLE VIIb. — Puerperal Mortality, 1936, showing the Number of Deaths and their relation to Live Births.

Septic Abortion. This cause of death, which is excluded from the general maternal death-rate, having no connection with obstetrics, and having no, or very little, connection with legally conducted obstetric procedures, has shown a remarkable decrease, the number of deaths in 1936 having dropped to 14, the same number as in 1927 and 1928. The whole question has been exhaustively investigated by a special committee set up by the Hon. the Minister of Health and covered in a special report to which those interested are referred. It is to be hoped that the decrease in the number of deaths reflects a decrease in the practice of illegal operations. One must feel, however, that there is some uncertainty with regard to this, as it might be due to the elimination of the more unskilled abortionist with greater safety to the patient.

54

1927. 1928. 1929. 1930. 1931. 1932. 1933. 1934. 1935. 1936. Puerperal-sepsis following childbirth .. No. 56 42 30 27 18 13 14 17 8 9 Rate 2-01 1-54 1-12 1-01 0-68 0-52 0-58 0-70 0-33 0-36 Haemorrhages, accidents of labour, No. 35 30 39 36 31 30 29 19 24 25 thrombosis, phlegmasia, and follow- Rate 1-26 1-10 1-46 1-3.4 1-16 1-21 1-19 0-78 1-00 1-01 ing childbirth not otherwise defined Toxeemia, albuminuria, and eclampsia No. 27 40 34 36 38 23 29 30 34 30 Rate 0-97 1-47 1-27 1-34 1-43 0-92 1-19 1-24 1-42 1-20 Accidents of pregnancy, non - septic No. 5 8 7 7 119 10 10 12 14 abortion, and ectopic gestation Rate 0-18 0-29 0-26 0-26 0-41 0-36 0-41 0-41 0-50 0-56 Total maternal deaths (excluding No. 123 120 110 106 98 75 82 76 78 78 septic abortion) Rate 4-41 4-42 4-11 3-96 3-68 3-02 3-37 3-12 3-25 3-14 Septic abortion — Married women .. .. .. No. \ .. .. / 26 26 24 16 29 17 13 Single women .. .. .. No. / ■' \ 4 3 2 10 13 6 1 Totals .. .. 14 14 19 30 29 26 26 42 23 14 Rate n_____j_i___ 0-50 0-51 0-71 1-12 1-09 1-04 1-07 1-73 0-96 0-56

Number Death Rate of per 1,000 Deaths. Live Births. Puerperal sepsis following childbirth. . . . . . . . . .. 9 0-36 Hemorrhages, accidents of labour, thrombosis, phlegmasia, and otter accidents of childbirth — (a) Placenta prsevia .. .. .. .. 12 0-48 (6) Other puerperal hemorrhages .. .. .. 7 0-28 (c) Puerperal embolism (non-septic) .. .. 1 0-04 (d) Other accidents of childbirth— Collapse following complete inversion of the ~] uterus .. . . .. .. 1 I Rupture of uterus —Cervical obstruction . . 1 | Contracted pelvis —Ceesarean section—Paralytic j> 5 0-21 ileus .. . . . . .. 1 Csesarean section —Shock .. .. .. 1 Post-partum shock —Difficult labour . . 1 25 1-01 Toxaemias of pregnancy — (a) Puerperal albuminuria and eclampsia .. .. 18 0-72 (b) Other toxsemias of pregnancy . . . . .. 12 0-48 30 1-20 Accidents of pregnancy — (a) Abortion (non-septic) .. .. .. .. 9 0-36 (b) Ectopic gestation .. .. .. .. 5 0-21 ■ 14 0-56 Total maternal deaths (excluding septic abortion) .. .. .. 78 3-14 Septic abortion — (a) Married women .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 (b) Single women . . .. .. .. .. .. 1 14 0-56