Milford chronicle., 1963-05-10
Your Hospital
Cby your hospital reporter)

hospltal for delivery stating that
she has not been seen by
a physician during her entire
pregnancy, we wonder how we
could have done a better Job Of
letting the public know the Inn
portance Of adequate prenatal
care. Today's newspapers and
current magazines are full of
articles stressing the need for
medical supervision during preg-
nancy, yet we continue to have
patients who see a doctor only
at time Of delivery. This Is In
deed unfortunate. for good pre-
natal care In any geographical
area lowers its maternal and
infant death rate and results In
fewer complications for mother
and child.
Deaths in mothers and babies
have steadily declined since
World War due to the greater
number Of women receiving med
ical care. In the period precsd-
ing this, the loss Of life attri-
buted to childbirth was almost
unbelievable. During the 90
years covering the Mexican War
Civil War, Spanish-American
War and World War I, s58, ,430
American soldiers died; during
the same period 200, 900 Amer
lean mothers died In childbirth.
The past 80 years Of concen-
trated effort by public health and
the medical team has shown al
dramatic reduction In mother andI
infant deaths. For the white race,
the maternal death rate has Drop
ped from a rate Of 81 per 10, ,00ol
live births In 1880 to a rate Of
8 in 1857. In non-whites, the rate
has fallen from 1T in 1880 toI
IL In 1857. The overall mortality
rate for infants has dropped from
100 per ], ZOO live births In 1915I
to 81 in 1858. Although the pic
ture is SO much brighter today
the wastage Of human life Is still
staggering. In 1857, for example,
183, ,401 mothers and babies lost
their lives In the United States.
What are the conditions re-
for deaths in mothsrs
and infants today7 The three
main causes Of maternal deaths
are hemorrhage, puerperal in
fection, and toxemia. Each year
these complications result In L.
900 maternal deaths and an es-
:imated 1000 infant deaths, yet
;hese complications are largely
,reventable by careful medical
supervision. Prematuity, as
'hyxia and birth injuries are the
most common causes of death In
'oung infants. Because these con-
iitions occur, for the most part,
before or at ths time of birth
md are usually obststric In ORR
yin, more and better maternity
.are would lead to a substantial
reduction In the infant mortality
.ate.
How does Delaware compare
With the US. as a whole In re-
,ard to maternal and infant
isaths7 IN 1859, the maternal
ieath rate for the U.S.. was 3.s
yer 10000 live births; for Del
ware 4.3 the lowest maternal
mortality rate was that for the
Etate Of Washington, 10; the
lighest, Mississippi, s.3. The
nfsnt mortality rate for the U.S..
n 1859 was 26.4 per 1000 live
'irths; for Delaware; 24.s. Utah
lad the lowest infant mortality
ate that year, 200; Alaska the
lighest, 42.e with mississippi
'unning a close second at 3s.o.
Most Of the abnormal con-
litions resulting In loss OF Life
could be prevented II all prsg-
Iant women put themselves under
medical care as soon as prsg-
lancy was suspected and made
'sriodic visits throughout their
The periodic check
- permits early detection and
reatment for those compli-
'ations which do arise. Most pa
tents can be successfully brought
through such complications when
no physician Is able to begin
rsatmsnt promptly.
One Of the most important ,
easons for such careful medical
supervision is that the pregnant ,
Toman herself Is usually unable
0 detect the early beginning Of !