HC Deb 23 June 1927 vol 207 cc2040-1
34. Sir WALTER de FRECE

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the fact that the death of women at childbirth continues unabated; the number of such deaths during the last 10 years, indicating when the maternity benefit came into force; and what, in the opinion of his medical advisers, are the grounds for the absence of any diminution of this type of mortality?

ENGLAND AND WALES.
Deaths of Women in Childbirth, 1917–1926.
Year. Births Registered. Deaths of Women classed to Pregnancy and Childbearing. Death of Women not classed to Pregnancy and Childbearing, but returned as associated therewith.
Number. Rate Per 1,000 births registered. Number. Rate Per 1,000 births registered.
1917 … 668,346 2,598 3.89 638 0.95
1918 … 662,661 2,509 3.79 2,529 3.81
1919 … 692,438 3,028 4.37 1,337 1.93
1920 … 957,782 4,144 4.33 1,086 1.13
1921 … 848,814 3,322 3.91 925 1.09
1922 … 780,124 2,971 3.81 1,051 1.35
1923 … 758,131 2,892 3.81 764 1.01
1924 … 729,933 2,847 3.90 849 1.16
1925 … 710,582 2,900 4.08 759 1.07
1926 … 694,563 2,860 4.12 709 1.02
The number of deaths of women in childbirth affords no indication of the trend of maternal mortality during the last ten years, in consequence of the abnormal variations in the number of births during that period. The numbers of births registered and the mortality of mothers per 1,000 births have therefore been added.