H—3l

Table III. —Maternity Hospital Statistics, 1935, 1939, 1943-46

Cesarean Section The steady increase in the percentage of deliveries by Csesarean Section is indicated by the following figures : Percentage of Csesarean Sections to Total Deliveries. 1940 .. ... .. .. .. .. 0-71 1942 .. .. .. .. .. .. 0-77 1944 .. .. .. .. .. .. 0-84 1945 .. .. .. .. .. .. 0-93 1946 .. .. .. .. .. ..1-15 DIVISION OF DENTAL HYGIENE The year ended 31st March, 1947, has been notable for the introduction as from the Ist February, 1947, of the dental service for adolescents. This represented the culmination of a long period of planning and negotiation with the dental profession. It is gratifying tp be able to record that this new service has been launched with the complete approval and full co-operation of the profession as represented by the New Zealand Dental Association. Following is a detailed review of the • activities of the Dental Division during the year.

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1935. 1939. 1943. 1944. 1945. 1946. Number of hospital^ 274 272 297 •287 275 26a Number of beds * 1,680 2,108 2,078 2,066 2,249 Admissions for ante-natal treatment * 1,299 2,403 2,448 2,741 2,930 Admissions for delivery- * 27,083 32,287 34,621 38,360 42,641 Confined at full term 18,175 25,521 30,549 32,629 36,405 40,416 Confined 7-9 months 859 1,285 1,696 1,881 1,955 2,005 Per 1,000 confinements 45-1 47-9 52-6 54-5 51-0 47-a Total confined 19,034 26,806 32,231 34,533 38,360 42,421 Per bed * 16-0 15-3 16-6 18-6 18-9 Abortions 118 165 196 243 194 165 Per 1,000 confinements 6-2 6-2 6-1 7-0 5-1 3-9 Instrumental deliveries.. 1,690 2,672 3,149 3,248 3,634 4,602 Per 1,000 confinements 88-8 99-7 97-7 94-1 94-7 108-5 Manual removal of placenta 166 187 185 217 243 279 Per 1,000 confinements 8-7 7-0 5-7 6-3 6-3 6-6 Haemorrhage : Accidental 66 91 113 108 167 153 Per 1,000 confinements 3-5 3-4 3-5 3-1 4-4 3-6 Haemorrhage : Placenta previa 93 113 166 172 194 ,216 Per 1,000 confinements 4-9 4-2 5-2 5-0 5-1 5-1 Haemorrhage : Post-partum 256 330 431 463 436 539 Per 1,000 confinements 13-4 12-3 13-4 13-4 11-4 12-7 Eclampsia 77 81 84 78 86 92Per 1,000 confinements 4-0 3-0 2-6 2-3 2-2 2-2 Infant deaths 303 414 462 491 487 53a Per 1,000 confinements 15-9 • 15-4 14-3 14-2 12-7 12-6 Still-births 545 749 746 709 801 824 Per 1,000 confinements 28-6 28-0 23-1 20-5 20-9 19-4 * Not available..