The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-03-03
$4,000 MATERNAL
DEATHS ANNUALLY
Largely Preventable, According
to Children's Bureau of U. S.
Department of Labor.

More women Is to As years of age
die in the United States from condi-
tons incident to maternity than from
any other cause except tuberculosis.
And since 1900, while the death rates
from tuberculosis, typhoid, diphth IBERIA
and Group. and certain other prevent
able diseases have been greatly re-
duced. the available figures for the
death-registration area show no de-
crease in the proportion of mothers
whose lives are sacrificed yearly to
ignorance and improper care in child
birth.
These facts and their causes, with
a detailed study of maternal death
rates i'm the United States and foreign
countries, are set forth in a bulletin
on maternal mortality by DR.. Grace
L. Meigs, which has just been issued
hy the children's bureau Of the
United States Department of Labor.
DR.. Meigs emphasizes the INSOFAR
able connection between the life and
health of the mother and the life and
health of her baby. She points out
that the $1,000 maternal deaths which
occur annually in the United States
are largely preventable: that these
5000 deaths are merely a rough in
dex of unmeasured preventable ILL.,
ness among mothers; and that the
protection of mothers is essential to
the saving of babies lives.
How can The protection of mothers
be accomplished?
Two underlying causes are assigned
, for the present conditions:
First. The hazards have been
either ignored or accepted as un-
avoidable. acknowledge of the need
for good care at childbirth is es-
sential: the lack of such knowledge
and of demand for this care has
been. probably, the. chief factor in
producing the present Indifference to
this phase of preventive medicine.
Communities are still to great ex-
tent indifferent to or ignorant Of the
from childbirth
1.-THE second fundamental cause
the difficulty of obtaining adequate
care-is seen to depend to a large
extent on the first. AS women, their
husbands. physicians, and communi-
ties realize the absolute need of
skilled care. methods for providing it
will be developed"
The city problem and the rural
problem are both discussed.
Even in a city we'll supplied with
clinics and hospitals the number Of
women served by them is small in
, comparison with the number who
; bear their children without receiving
adequate care. Certain sections OF
the population depend on ignorant
midwives. But the reader is reminded
that women of moderate means who
can not pay large fees and who Will
| not visit clinic sometimes receive
the least benefit from improvements
in standards of care.
I'm rural districts many women
| bear their children with no attendant
! other than the husband, relative,
or a neighbor. The nearest physician
! may be miles away. the nearest hos
pital much farther"
| DR.. Meigs refers to the work for
! m Maternal and child welfare which has
; been developed in New Zealand ano
, in Canada, and suggests unit PLAN
! for a rural county in this country to
! include:
A rural nursing service, centering
at the county seat, with nurses espe-
cially trained to recognize dangerous
symptoms in prospective mothers.
An accessible county center to
which mothers could come for infor-
! ma ton about personal hygiene.
A cottage hospital, or beds in ar
! accessible general shospital, especially
for the proper care of abnormal
cases.
Skilled attendance Qbtainable by
each mother in the county.