Puerperal Mortality

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XVI, Issue 4, 1 October 1923, Page 170

Puerperal Mortality

We are pleased to note that m the special committee of nine recently appointed m Scotland by the Board of Health to go into the question of puerperal mortality three women were included, and of these one was the vice-president of the Scottish Midwives' Association, another the superintendent of the Motherwell District Nursing Association, assistant inspector of midwives, and chief health visitor, Motherwell and Wishaw burgh. It is regrettable that though New Zealand was the first country m the world to accord the vote to women, yet she is being left behind m the use of women for public services of almost any kind. In the commission to enquire into the question of maternal mortality m New Zealand, neither medical women nor nurse-midwives were included, though it is certain that they could have thrown light on many points m connection with the investigation.

In the report of the setting up cf the committee m Scotland, it is stated that Scotland has one of the highest maternal death-rates of any civilised country. It was stated that out of every 1000 women five or six sacrifice their lives during childbirth, and that there was no decrease m the mortality from the diseases and accidents of pregnancy, and, more remarkable still, m the general death-rate from puerperal septic fever. There has been vast improvement m the hospital management of labour, and puerperal sepsis has been reduced almost to a minimum ; but a corresponding reduction has not beeu achieved m private practice. "It is felt that there is no good reason why motherhood should be accompanied by such excessive risk as is the case to-day, and that the greater part of the illnesses and deaths could be prevented." We shall await with great interest the findings of this committee.