Intended place of delivery and perinatal outcome

Data from the "1958 Perinatal Mortality Survey" have been analysed to assess differences in stillbirth and neonatal death rates according to the arrangements made for delivery. Only women aged 20-34 delivering at term, with no pregnancy abnormalities, were selected from three groups of women (normotensive primiparae, hypertensive primiparae, and normotensive women of parity 1, 2, or 3). Despite the fact that within each group the women booked for NHS consultant units were heavily weighted with adverse factors, the death rate of their infants was no more than 70% of that found among the women booked for either domiciliary, general practitioner unit, or private consultant delivery. Care and delivery in a NHS consultant unit carries least risk of death for the infant.