MATERNAL WELFARE

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 1, 1 July 1932, Page 9

MATERNAL WELFARE

NEW ZEALAND'S POSITION

ANTE-NATAL WORK

"This astounding result that is the envy of, and example for, the rest' of the ■world, is one'for sincerest congratulation," said Professor J. B. Dawson, Professor of Obstetrics at the Otago University, in an address at the annual meeting of tho Christchureh branch of the Plunket Society. This remark was made after he had stated that the infantile death rate in New Zealand in 1907 was .80 per 1000 births, and in 1930 it had been reduced to .34 per 1000 births. "The problem of rrto-natal deaths," said Professor Dawson, "is intimately connected with that of maternal mortality and morbidity; if we can reduco these we shall certainly improve the chances of the children. Much- has been said and written of the maternal mortality of Now Zealand. ' The medical profession has been" severely taken to task, and it has been pointed out how disappointing the figures of the Dominion are when compared with those of other countries, notably Scandinavia and Holland. I have recently visited many European countries, and among other matters I paid careful attention to the. matter of maternal mortality. Two things soon becamo very clear to me:1 (1) That it is misleading and useless to compare international statistics unless their origin anjl method of compilation arc > carefully studied and analysed. (2) That New Zealand need not;be- ashamed.of her maternal.mortality figures which, when analysed, will bear comparison with those of another country.' '. '.GREATEST ADVANCE MADE IN MEDICINE." ' "I am certain that in order to lower the- infantile death rate- in the first month of life, attention must be mainly directed to the. mother. I consider the development of this work to be the greatest advance made by medicine in this country- It is a manifestation of the truest and most valuable form of science, that of prevention; an effort ■to prevent rather than to cure. "Efficient ante-natal work can only be carried'out by a doctor, and one well-trained and interested in the- work. This, I am afraid, . is tantamount to saying that the ante:natal work carried out by the-Plunket nurses is not efficient. I would rather say it is incomplete, as I would ' not-disparage their work or under-rate the value of tho advice they give, realising that they forward vsuch excellent reports to the patient's doctor. This work is all to the good, but from my point of view it is inadequate to check the inroads made upon the lives of women and children ... I am opposed to tho creation of ante-natal clinics except in connection with the maternity hospitals. . . The essential of satisfactory ante-natal work is that it should be done.by those responsible for the future confinement of the patient." : ' ' . . ■