PREGNANCY AND TUBERCULOSIS: A STUDY OF THE OBSTETRIC HISTORIES OF FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-FOUR PATIENTS

Since tuberculosis appears not to be diminishing as rapidly among girls and young women as it is in other age and sex groups, the combination of tuberculosis and pregnancy will continue to be a critical phase in preventive medicine. It was to remedy the lack of case material in this field and to assemble whatever facts could be obtained from a selected group of tuberculous women in relation to pregnancy that the present study was undertaken. Each year on the anniversary of the patient's "graduation" from Trudeau Sanatorium, he reports on his present status. In 1925 and 1926, through the courtesy of the medical board, and in cooperation with the superintendent, Dr. Fred H. Heise, additional forms were sent out to 1,000 married women graduates, inquiring as to their experience with child-bearing. Nearly half responded, 484 in enough detail to make possible certain comparisons and observations, which are here presented.