MATERNAL MORTALITY

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1930, Page 7

MATERNAL MORTALITY

GRAVE FACTOR REVEALED. HIGH RATE IN AUCKLAND. Discussing the question of luaternal mortality, the Medical Officer of Health for the Auckland Central District, Dr. T. J. Hughes, stated that to a certain extent the public has a great responsibility in this matter. •' Of the maternal, deaths occurring in the Auckland district for the period January to June, 1930, 60 per cent, were, says the New Zealand Herald, due to septic abortions. The number of septic abortions and miscarriages which occur are exceedingly high ,the notifications for this district for 1929 and 1930 being considerably higher than the total number for the rest of the Dominion and it would appear that a number of these are provoked. For the first six months of 1930 the number has nearly reached the total notifications for 1929. The death rate from septic abortions, for the Auckland Central Health Distinct for 1929 was 2.36 per 1000 live births, compared with 0.71 for the whole Dominion. The department regards a death rate of 2.36 per 1000 live births from such cause a very serious matter. It is apparent that the public does not realise the danger and harm following on abortions, and apart from the number of deaths due to sepsis many women, suffer from complications which render them physical wrecks for the remaining years of» their lives.