[Perinatal risk at term and post-term revisited].

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Perinatal Medicine
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Background:

• Accurate assessment of fetal and neonatal mortality risk at term is crucial for optimal pregnancy management.
• Defining the precise duration of a 'term' pregnancy presents challenges, impacting risk evaluation.
• Post-term pregnancy complications and statistical approaches to perinatal risk require careful consideration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-evaluate the assessment of fetal and neonatal mortality risk specifically within the term period.
• To analyze the complexities in defining normal pregnancy duration and its implications.
• To introduce the concept of 'foetal term' for prospective risk assessment and explore non-specific morbidity during this period.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on statistical approaches to perinatal risk and mortality rates.
• Analysis of complications associated with post-term pregnancies.
• Examination of the evolution and aspects of non-specific morbidity in term pregnancies.

Main Results:

• The study highlights the difficulties in accurately defining pregnancy duration and its impact on risk assessment.
• It introduces a novel concept of 'foetal term' for prospective risk evaluation.
• Various mortality rates and non-specific morbidities associated with the term period are analyzed.

Conclusions:

• Optimal management decisions for term pregnancies should be collaborative, involving pregnant women.
• Consideration of analyzed parameters, including prospective risk and morbidity, is essential for informed decision-making.
• Further research into the concept of 'foetal term' may improve perinatal risk assessment.