The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-04-21
BIG INCREASE IN
 MATERNITY CASES
Connecticut Lists 10000 Birth During l943; Serv=
 icemen's Wives Aided

Not only do the wives of service men profit by having advice and help from the physicians, hospitals and public health or visiting nurs- es, but also do the wives of civilians. Babies in wartime, whether the sons of the fighting men or the sons of workers on the home front, need special attention and deserve every opportunity to develop into strong and healthy Americans.
 We are proud of Uncle Sams bright-eyer infants born during during those unusually busy days of the war. The United States has proved that even during diff cult times its medical, nursing and hospital services can take an addi- tional burdens and still provide good care for newborn babies.
 In Connecticut during 1922, there were 36,009 births and during 1943 approximately 10000. The health record of these infants is surpris- ingly good. In fact, in 1942 Con- necticut had the lowest infant death rate 1t has ever had. Moreover, it was the lowest in any state in the country for that year.
 During 1943. wives of servicemen who desired guidance or help with arrangements for their maternity care have applied to the Stae De- partment of Health. If eligible, by the husbands rank being in the lower four pay grades, they were ac- cepted for the services provided un- der the Federl Emergency Mater nity and Infant Care program, ad- ministered through the Children's Bureau. Through the funds voted by Congress and the cooperation of licensed physicians and approved hospitals, 1t has been possible to assure the wives of servicelnen that they will not personally be expected to pay their medical and hospital bills. The fees allowed by the U. s. Children's Bureau are $35 for the obstetrical care, and $15 for the eight or more pernatal visits the patient makes to the doctor.
 Each wife who desires to apply for this maternity aid is expected to discuss arrangements for fi- nanctal settlement of her medical care, for the prenatal, delivery and postpartum periods with her physi- clan at the time of her firts to him. If he. is one of the physicians CO., operating in this program he will sign her application blank, and by so signing, agrees not to accept any additional pay for his services. If he is not, probably he will refer her to someone else. For example, she may be referred to a physician who is active in the program or she may prefer to continue with her own physician and make her own private arrangements for medical and hos pital care and payment for such care.
 Through the public health or visiting nurse associations expect ant mothers may have the benefit of advice on ways to play the daily work so that no important health measure will be overlooked. The nurse helps the mother to play for such things as diapers, shirt, blan- ketS, etc. so that all then essentials of modern infants wardrobe will be ready before the infants arrival.
 The public health nurse helps the mother to plan her daily schedule fin preparation for again resuming the full responsibility of che house. hold and her new baby.
 Hospitals in Connecticut are equipped to give good care to moth- CTS and newborn infants. All li- censed maternity hospitals are ad- hitting maternity cases for delivery even though 1t is sometimes neces- sary to send the mother and baby home early in order to make room for new cases.
 We are glad that in Connecticut 1t is possible to arrange for good medical, hospital and nursing care for the growing families of men in the services and men on the home front.