Cerebral palsy and perinatal deaths in geographically defined populations with different perinatal services

The number of perinatal deaths and of children with cerebral palsy among 23,039 total births between 1973 and 1978 in one Swedish county were examined by comparing two populations which differed by the presence or absence of a neonatal ward (special care baby unit) in the maternity hospital for the district. No support was found for the assumption that lower perinatal mortality in the region without a neonatal ward would be at the cost of an increased number with cerebral palsy. Between the two three-year periods there was a highly significant decrease in perinatal mortality in the sample without a neonatal ward. When perinatal deaths and cerebral palsy were considered together the decline remained highly significant. The corresponding change in the sample with a neonatal ward was smaller and non-significant.