[The delivery record: a help to make the right decision]

The delivery record is a key document for risk assessment and proper decision making at the right time during delivery. If it is exhaustive or badly presented, health workers see it as an administrative constraint, not as a help. The authors recall some principles regarding its form and contents. Its different parts are reviewed: administrative data, medical history, antenatal care, admission clinical examination, partograph, delivery, newborn, recent post-partum and exit examinations. An example of a delivery record used in Nouakchott is presented.