[Clinical obstetrics and perinatal mortality in 13 years (author's transl)]

Reported in this paper is a critical analysis of perinatal mortality which dropped from three to 1.1 per cent, between 1966 and 1978. The number of caesarean sections went up from two to 8.25 per cent, over the same period of time, with all indications having been foetal. No direct relationship was evident with intensive heart rate control of the foetus. The number of low-weight infants, that is less than 2,500 g in birth-weight, did not decrease in the period under review, in spite of tocolysis and cerclage. Perinatal mortality was conspicuous particularly for decline in intra-uterine and postpartum foetal deaths. There was a steady drop in uncorrected perinatal mortality, while the corrected figure remained constant over the past four years, though the rate of caesarean sections had been rising continuously. Therefore, perinatal mortality cannot be further reduced by continued increase in the number of caesarean sections. However, less low-weight births as well as improved monitoring and care of pregnant women will be answered to the problem. --Maternal mortality over the entire period under review amounted to 0.39 per thousand, against a total of 17 871 deliveries.